Antifungal activity and application of protamine peptide against fungal pathogens forming biofilms

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24592791
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Morphological basic dentistry
• Research Institution: Fukuoka Dental College
• Principal Investigator: CHO Tamaki 福岡歯科大学, 歯学部, 准教授 (90131870)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): INAI Tetsuichiro 福岡歯科大学, 口腔歯学部, 教授 (00264044) ; IMAYOSHI Rieko 福岡歯科大学, 口腔歯学部, 講師 (80320331) ; NAGAO Jun-ichi 福岡歯科大学, 口腔歯学部, 助教 (30509047)
• Research Collaborator: IOHARA Keishi ; MITARAI Makoto ; ABE Shigeru ; HAYAMA Kazumi
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 抗真菌薬 / 塩基性ペプチド / プロタミンペプチド / Candida albicans / 口腔カンジダ症 / 環状化ペプチド

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Candida albicans is a commensal of the oral cavity and the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts of healthy individuals and also a common mucosal and systemic pathogen in the setting of immunosuppression. The 14-amino acid basic, arginine-rich protamine peptide derived from salmon protamine showed antifungal activity against C. albicans. We constructed a cyclic protamine peptide that showed salt-insensitive and higher antifungal activity. To establish the basement of clinical application of protamine peptide, we performed animal experiments with using murine oral candidiasis model. Oral treatment with cyclic protamine peptide significantly protected the mice from severe oral candidiasis, whereas straight protamine peptide did not show significant efficacy. This study suggests that cyclic protamine peptide may have potentialities as a novel treatment of oral candidiasis.

Free Research Field

微生物学