A Novel Immunocompetent Mouse Model for Testing Antifungal Drugs Against Invasive Candida albicans Infection

Bibliographic Details
Title: A Novel Immunocompetent Mouse Model for Testing Antifungal Drugs Against Invasive Candida albicans Infection
Authors: Lisa K. Ryan, Amy G Hise, Chowdhury Mobaswar Hossain, William Ruddick, Rezwana Parveen, Katie B. Freeman, Damian G. Weaver, Hema P. Narra, Richard W. Scott, Gill Diamond
Source: Journal of Fungi, Vol 6, Iss 4, p 197 (2020)
Publisher Information: MDPI AG, 2020.
Publication Year: 2020
Collection: LCC:Biology (General)
Subject Terms: mouse model, in vivo imaging, IVIS, host defense peptide, peptidomimetics, candidiasis, Biology (General), QH301-705.5
More Details: Disseminated infection by Candida species represents a common, often life-threatening condition. Increased resistance to current antifungal drugs has led to an urgent need to develop new antifungal drugs to treat this pathogen. However, in vivo screening of candidate antifungal compounds requires large numbers of animals and using immunosuppressive agents to allow for fungal dissemination. To increase the efficiency of screening, to use fewer mice, and to remove the need for immunosuppressive agents, which may interfere with the drug candidates, we tested the potential for a novel approach using in vivo imaging of a fluorescent strain of Candida albicans, in a mouse strain deficient in the host defense peptide, murine β-defensin 1 (mBD-1). We developed a strain of C. albicans that expresses red fluorescent protein (RFP), which exhibits similar infectivity to the non-fluorescent parent strain. When this strain was injected into immunocompetent mBD-1-deficient mice, we observed a non-lethal disseminated infection. Further, we could quantify its dissemination in real time, and observe the activity of an antifungal peptide mimetic drug by in vivo imaging. This novel method will allow for the rapid in vivo screening of antifungal drugs, using fewer mice, and increase the efficiency of testing new antifungal agents.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2309-608X
Relation: https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/6/4/197; https://doaj.org/toc/2309-608X
DOI: 10.3390/jof6040197
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/e4be0c5ead9742fcbaeb355d867fecf9
Accession Number: edsdoj.4be0c5ead9742fcbaeb355d867fecf9
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:2309608X
DOI:10.3390/jof6040197
Published in:Journal of Fungi
Language:English