Jen Gerlach
Dr. Larry Aaronson, Utica College
Inhibition of the Growth of Candida albicans by Sphinganine
Growth of the dimorphic fungal pathogen, Candida albicans, is inhibited by low concentrations of the sphingolipid sphinganine. Lipid concentrations
as low as 1.6 uM impairs growth of the fungus in the yeast phase, and
the germination of filamentous hyphae in the mycelial phase. Using SEM
analysis of hyphl growth, we observed that incubation of C. albicans with
3.1 uM sphinganine results in the appearance of a third morphological form,
pseudohyphae. Higher concentrations of the lipid result in complete
inhibition of growth from yeast cells. In light of the fact that the
mycelial form of the fungus is considered to more invasive in mammalian
tissue, sphinganine (which is abundant in mammalian epidermis) may act as
a natural antifungal barrier in skin, and may have utility as an
antifungal pharmacological agent.