Background: Antimicrobial peptides have been the focus of much research over the last decade because of their\r\neffectiveness and broad-spectrum activity against microbial pathogens. These peptides also participate in inflammation\r\nand the innate host defense system by modulating the immune function that promotes immune cell adhesion and\r\nmigration as well as the respiratory burst, which makes them even more attractive as therapeutic agents. This has led\r\nto the synthesis of various antimicrobial peptides, including KSL-W (KKVVFWVKFK-NH2), for potential clinical use. Because\r\nthis peptide displays antimicrobial activity against bacteria, we sought to determine its antifungal effect on C. albicans.\r\nGrowth, hyphal form, biofilm formation, and degradation were thus examined along with EFG1, NRG1, EAP1, HWP1,\r\nand SAP 2-4-5-6 gene expression by quantitative RT-PCR.\r\nResults: This study demonstrates that KSL-W markedly reduced C. albicans growth at both early and late incubation\r\ntimes. The significant effect of KSL-W on C. albicans growth was observed beginning at 10 �µg/ml after 5 h of contact by\r\nreducing C. albicans transition and at 25 �µg/ml by completely inhibiting C. albicans transition. Cultured C. albicans under\r\nbiofilm-inducing conditions revealed that both KSL-W and amphotericin B significantly decreased biofilm formation at 2,\r\n4, and 6 days of culture. KSL-W also disrupted mature C. albicans biofilms. The effect of KSL-W on C. albicans growth,\r\ntransition, and biofilm formation/disruption may thus occur through gene modulation, as the expression of various\r\ngenes involved in C. albicans growth, transition and biofilm formation were all downregulated when C. albicans was\r\ntreated with KSL-W. The effect was greater when C. albicans was cultured under hyphae-inducing conditions.\r\nConclusions: These data provide new insight into the efficacy of KSL-W against C. albicans and its potential use as an\r\nantifungal therapy.
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