Expression of Major Efflux Pumps in Fluconazole-Resistant Candida albicans.

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Expression of Major Efflux Pumps in Fluconazole-Resistant Candida albicans.

Infect Disord Drug Targets. 2017 May 30;:

Authors: Pourakbari B, Teymuri M, Mahmoudi S, Valian SK, Movahedi Z, Eshaghi H, Mamishi S

Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Resistance to azole antifungals continues to be a significant problem in Candida albicans infections. Several molecular mechanisms of fluconazole resistance including alterations in the gene encoding the target enzyme ERG11 or overexpression of efflux pump genes including CDR1, CDR2, MDR1, MDR2 and FLU1 have been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate molecular mechanisms of fluconazole- resistant C. albicans.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the present study, a collection of 97 clinical isolates of C. albicans was analyzed for the known molecular mechanisms of fluconazole resistance by standard methods. The in vitro susceptibilities of the C. albicans isolates to fluconazole were determined using the broth microdilution method. Expression of CDR1, CDR2, MDR1, MDR2 and FLU1 genes was measured using quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and evaluated relative to the expression of the control gene 18SrRNA.
RESULTS: Among 97 C. albicans isolates, 5 strains were categorized as fluconazole-resistant. The CDR1, CDR2 and MDR2 genes were upregulated in all the isolates. MDR1 overexpression was observed in four resistant isolates. Overexpression of FLU1, an efflux pump gene related to MDR1, did not correlate with resistance.
CONCLUSION: Overexpression of the CDR1, CDR2 and MDR2 genes might play an important role in fluconazole-resistant C. albicans. No clear link between expression of FLU1 and fluconazole resistance was found and the MDR1 gene had an effect on four fluconazole-resistance isolates.

PMID: 28558643 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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