Quorum-Sensing Quenching Compounds Allium sativum, Allium hirtifolium and Allium cepa: The Probable Quorum-Sensing Quenching Compounds against Candida albicans

摘要

Quorum-sensing quenching activity of Allium sativum, A. hirtifolium and A. cepa were screened against Candida albicans. The morphological response and expression patterns of selected genes involved in quorum-sensing including transcriptional repressor gene, TVPl and hypha-specific genes HWP1, ALS1 and ALS3 were examined in C. albicans at different concentrations of tested extracts based on MICs. The data indicated that all extracts exerted antifungal effects through reducing the number of yeast form and inhibiting the transition from yeast to hyphae cells. Furthermore, the expression level of transcriptional repressor gene was up-regulated at different concentrations of tested extracts, which correlated with the qualitative and quantitative assessment of C. albicans. We find hypha-specific genes exhibited changes in expression at the time intervals of tested extracts exerted antifungal effects on C. albicans. These changes are in the opposite direction exhibited in transcriptional repressor gene. These are likely to be key genes in the quorum-sensing quenching in C. albicans during treated with tested extracts. Together, the results provide a valuable resource to quorum-sensing quenching mechanism in C. albicans. Given the capability of A. sativum, A. hirtifolium and A. cepa extracts to effects on C. albicans and differentially expression of transcriptional repressor and hypha-specific genes, it is suggested that the tested extracts probably have the potential to be to be used as quorum-sensing quenchers. The A. sativum, A. hirtifolium and A. cepa extracts can be used to develop powerful new therapeutic approaches.