Antifungal drug-delivery using micelles

Saakshi Bangera, DY Patil School of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics

Scientists at the University of South Australia have successfully engineered nanoparticles that are roughly the same size as a coronavirus particle. This innovation was done in partnership with Monash University. Nanobiotechnology is referred to as “micelles” and has an extraordinary ability to combat Candida Albicans – one of the most invasive and resistant fungal infections. 

These micelles are made up of lipid molecules that conform in a spherical shape in aqueous solutions. They’re perfectly suited for drug delivery owing to their ability to both attract and repel liquids. Researchers believe that the timing of this innovation is perfect due to the evident rise of fungal infections in hospitals that treat COVID-19 patients. 

About Candida albicans

The organism is an opportunistic yeast that is extremely pathogenic to individuals with compromised immune systems. Candida albicans is particularly active in nosocomial conditions i.e., within the hospital environment. The fungal organism is found on many surfaces and anyone can be easily exposed to it. However, C. albicans is chiefly known for its resilience to anti-fungal medicines and is also the most predominant cause of worldwide infections. It can also cause serious infections that affect the blood, heart, brain, bones, eyes and other body parts of the individual. 

The rapidly growing resistance of fungal pathogens against antifungal agents is a serious problem. Therefore, new strategies for the eradication of fungal biofilms are being developed. 

This study

Polymeric micelles were found to show remarkable inhibition of the fungal growth of C. albicans and C. tropicalis. This not only removes the existing biofilms but also prevents biofilm formation in the future. P micelles displayed an efficacy of more than 40% in biofilm removal. Additionally, the micelles enhanced the removal of C. albicans and C. tropicalis among a mixed biofilm and reduced the cell viability of both strains. Fluconazole (Flu) and amphotericin B (AmB) were co-delivered with micelles and demonstrated synergistic effects on the fungal biofilms. 

Significance of the study

According to Clive Prestidge – a principal investigator at UniSA, the new micelle technology can transform the current anti-fungal treatment. The growing concern is that many fungal biofilms are unaffected by antifungal drugs. The research has developed micelles that can potentially break the biofilms to inhibit fungal growth. It is estimated that these micelles can improve the efficiency of anti-fungal treatment by 100-fold and thus save the lives of millions worldwide. 

Also read: Advancing photosynthesis to give better yield!

References

1. Albayaty, Y. N., Thomas, N., Ramírez-García, P. D., Davis, T. P., Quinn, J. F., Whittaker, M. R., & Prestidge, C. A. (2021). Polymeric micelles with anti-virulence activity against Candida albicans in a single- and dual-species biofilm. Drug Delivery and Translational Research, 11(4), 1586–1597. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13346-021-00943-4 
2. Australia, U. of S. (n.d.). Fighting fungal infections: Giant leaps for smart nanotech. Retrieved August 16, 2021, from https://phys.org/news/2021-08-fungal-infections-giant-smart-nanotech.html

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About the author

The author is currently pursuing MSc in Biotechnology from DY Patil School of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics. She believes that she doesn’t have a specific area of interest yet. She wishes to explore toxicology and food biotechnology. She’s quite passionate about Biotechnology and aims to grab every opportunity she comes across.