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. 2025 Jun 1;11(6):427.
doi: 10.3390/jof11060427.

Exploring the Antifungal Potential of Lawsone-Loaded Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Against Candida albicans and Candida glabrata: Growth Inhibition and Biofilm Disruption

Fatemeh Nikoomanesh  1 , Mahsa Sedighi  2 , Mahdi Mahmmoodi Bourang  3 , Mitra Rafiee  4 , André Luis Souza Dos Santos  5   6 , Maryam Roudbary  7   8
Affiliations

Exploring the Antifungal Potential of Lawsone-Loaded Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Against Candida albicans and Candida glabrata: Growth Inhibition and Biofilm Disruption

Fatemeh Nikoomanesh et al. J Fungi (Basel). .

Abstract

The incidence of fungal infections is significantly rising, posing a challenge due to the limited class of antifungal drugs. There is a necessity to combat emerging resistant fungal infections by developing novel antifungal agents. This study aimed to evaluate the antifungal effects of lawsone (LAW), a natural component extracted from herbal medicine, and LAW-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles (LAW-MSNs) on growth, biofilm formation, and expression of ALS1 and EPA1 genes contributing to cell adhesion of Candida spp. Twenty C. albicans and twenty C. glabrata isolates, including ten fluconazole-resistant and ten fluconazole-susceptible isolates, were examined. The findings of the study indicated that LAW and LAW-MSNs inhibited Candida isolates growth at MIC range of 0.31->5 µg/mL and significantly reduced biofilm formation in C. albicans and C. glabrata. Moreover, both LAW and LAW-MSNs downregulated the expression of the adhesion genes ALS1 and EPA1 in C. albicans and C. glabrata. Based on the obtained findings, LAW emerged as a promising antifungal candidate. However, the nano-formulation (LAW-MSNs) improved its antifungal properties.

Keywords: Candida albicans; Candida glabrata; antifungal activity; biofilm formation; lawsone; mesoporous silica nanoparticles.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Characterization of synthesized MSNs by TEM: (a) before (scale bar = 100 nm) and (b) after (scale bar = 200 nm) CTAB removal, and XRD: (c) large angle XRD and (d) small angle XRD (SAXS).
Figure 2
Figure 2
The percentage of biofilm formation in fluconazole-susceptible (C. albicans-S) and fluconazole-resistant (C. albicans-R) isolates (A), and fluconazole-susceptible (C. glabrata-S) and fluconazole-resistant (C. glabrata-R) isolates (B) treated with LAW and LAW-MSNs was compared to untreated cells (positive control, representing 100% biofilm formation capacity). Treatment with LAW and LAW-MSNs significantly reduced biofilm formation. Statistical significance was indicated as follows: * p < 0.001, ** p < 0.05 compared to the positive control (Student’s t-test).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Comparison of ALS1 gene expression in resistant and resistant-susceptible C. albicans isolates before and after treatment with the MIC of LAW and LAW-MSNs compared to untreated group related to Act1 gene (housekeeping gene).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Comparison of EPA1 gene expression in resistant and resistant-susceptible C. glabrata isolates before and after treatment with the MIC of LAW and LAW-MSNs compared to untreated group related to Act1 gene (housekeeping gene).
Figure 5
Figure 5
HDF cells were treated with various concentrations of LAW (2–10 µg/mL), and cell viability was assessed after 24 h. No cytotoxic effects were observed at tested concentrations compared to the untreated control group.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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