Antimicrobial activity of a decapeptide against <i>Candida albicans</i>

The increasing frequency of infections and drug resistance of <i>Candida albicans</i> has emerged as significant public health challenges, highlighting the urgent need for new antifungal agents. In this study, a decapeptide AntiCADP was designed, which could effectively inhibit the growth of <i>C. albicans</i>. AntiCADP killed <i>C. albicans</i> cells by disrupting the cell membrane, inducing ROS accumulation, damaging mitochondria, and ultimately leading to cellular necrosis. Additionally, AntiCADP inhibited the hyphal morphogenesis and biofilm formation of <i>C. albicans</i>. AntiCADP could also kill <i>C. albicans</i> cells in the mature biofilm. In a mouse subcutaneous infection model, AntiCADP significantly inhibited the development of abscesses, reduced <i>C. albicans</i> cell counts within abscesses, and suppressed inflammatory cell infiltration at the infected area. Taken together, AntiCADP has the potential to be an antifungal agent against skin infections caused by <i>C. albicans</i>.IMPORTANCETo effectively cope with the increasing frequency of infections and drug resistance of <i>Candida albicans</i>, various types of new antimicrobial molecules have been studied. Among these molecules, antimicrobial peptides have attracted great attention. In the present study, we designed a decapeptide AntiCADP, which showed good anti-<i>C</i>. <i>albicans</i> activity <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i>. AntiCADP killed <i>C. albicans</i> cells via multiple modes, including disrupting the cell membrane, inducing ROS accumulation, damaging mitochondria, and inducing cellular necrosis. AntiCADP could also inhibit hyphal morphogenesis and biofilm formation of <i>C. albicans</i> and kill <i>C. albicans</i> cells in the mature biofilm. Thus, AntiCADP had the potential against skin infections caused by <i>C. albicans</i>.