O papel dos íons de cálcio e da via de calcineurina na virulência fúngica: uma revisão

Introduction: Calcium ions (Ca²⁺) play a fundamental role in regulating various cellular processes and are present in all living organisms. In microorganisms such as fungi, the Ca²⁺ signaling pathway supports essential functions for survival, including stress resistance, apoptosis, growth, reproduction, and virulence. Objective: This review aims to explore the importance of Ca²⁺ and the calcineurin pathway in the development and maintenance of fungal virulence. Method: This is a narrative review based on literature available in the PubMed and ScienceDirect databases, focusing on articles published between 2015 and 2024. Results: The findings reveal that the calcineurin pathway is crucial for several processes contributing to fungal virulence. Calcineurin becomes active through calmodulin, a protein that requires calcium ions for its activation. The main processes regulated by calcium and calcineurin include the formation and maintenance of cell walls, hyphae, and biofilms. Moreover, these components are involved in conidia formation and increase thermotolerance in certain pathogenic fungi. It is worth noting that calcineurin inhibitors, such as cyclosporine A and tacrolimus, have shown synergistic effects when combined with antifungal agents like fluconazole and micafungin. Conclusions: These findings highlight the potential of Ca²⁺ and the calcineurin pathway as promising pharmacological targets for the development of new antifungal strategies.