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Azole resistance in Candida albicans from animals: Highlights on efflux pump activity and gene overexpression
Author(s) -
Rocha Marcos Fábio Gadelha,
Bandeira Silviane Praciano,
Alencar Lucas Pereira,
Melo Luciana Magalhães,
Sales Jamille Alencar,
Paiva Manoel de Araújo Neto,
Teixeira Carlos Eduardo Cordeiro,
CasteloBranco Débora de Souza Collares Maia,
PereiraNeto Waldemiro de Aquino,
Cordeiro Rossana de Aguiar,
Sidrim José Júlio Costa,
Brilhante Raimunda Sâmia Nogueira
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
mycoses
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.13
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 1439-0507
pISSN - 0933-7407
DOI - 10.1111/myc.12611
Subject(s) - efflux , azole , candida albicans , fluconazole , microbiology and biotechnology , ergosterol , biology , corpus albicans , multiple drug resistance , gene , itraconazole , rhodamine 123 , drug resistance , antifungal , biochemistry
Summary This study investigated potential mechanisms of azole resistance among Candida albicans from animals, including efflux pump activity, ergosterol content and gene expression. For this purpose, 30 azole‐resistant C. albicans strains from animals were tested for their antifungal susceptibility, according to document M27‐A3, efflux pump activity by rhodamine 6G test, ergosterol content and expression of the genes CDR 1 , CDR 2 , MDR 1 , ERG 11 by RT ‐ qPCR . These strains were resistant to at least one azole derivative. Resistance to fluconazole and itraconazole was detected in 23 and 26 strains respectively. Rhodamine 6G tests showed increased activity of efflux pumps in the resistant strains, showing a possible resistance mechanism. There was no difference in ergosterol content between resistant and susceptible strains, even after fluconazole exposure. From 30 strains, 22 (73.3%) resistant animal strains overexpressed one or more genes. From this group, 40.9% (9/22) overexpressed CDR 1 , 18.2% (4/22) overexpressed CDR 2 , 59.1% (13/22) overexpressed MDR 1 and 54.5% (12/22) overexpressed ERG 11 . Concerning gene expression, a positive correlation was observed only between CDR 1 and CDR 2 . Thus, azole resistance in C . albicans strains from animals is a multifactorial process that involves increased efflux pump activity and the overexpression of different genes.