Antibacterial effect of Curcumin encapsulated in polymersome nanoparticles on the expression of efflux pump MDR1 gene in fluconazole resistant isolates of Candida albicans

Subject Areas : Biotechnological Journal of Environmental Microbiology

ُSahar Pourasgar ¹ , Aida Bejari ² , Mahkameh Hedayatsafa ³ , Mahdi Shahriarinour ⁴ , Najmeh Ranji ⁵

1 - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran.
2 - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran
3 - Department of Natural Resources, Faculty of Sciences, university of parma, Italy.
4 - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran.
5 - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran.

Received: 2023-04-22 Accepted : 2023-06-05 Published : 2023-06-08

Keywords: Candida albicans, Curcumin, Nanoparticles, MDR1, qRT-PCR,

Abstract :

Curcumin, a natural product of turmeric, is known for its antibacterial and antifungal properties. Candida albicans is a major fungal pathogen with high mortality rate, particularly in immunocompromised patients. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of curcumin encapsulated in nanoparticles (polymersomes) in combination with fluconazole on the expression of the MDRI gene in drug-resistant isolates of C. albicans. This descriptive cross-sectional study involved obtaining 50 clinical samples, from women with vulvovaginal infections at Al-Zahra hospital (Rasht, Iran). After identifying the strains, resistance to fluconazole was assessed using disc diffusion and broth dilution methods. Six fluconazole-resistant isolates of C. albicans were treated with ½ MIC fluconazole (control) alone and in combination with curcumin encapsulated in nanoparticles. After 24 hours, the two cell groups were cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) to estimate the cell death rate. The expression of the MDR1 gene was quantitatively investigated using the qRT-PCR method in treated and untreated isolates. Our finding indicated that combined therapy with ½ MIC fluconazole and curcumin encapsulated in nanoparticles (at a concentration of 400µg/ml) reduced fungal growth by up to 50% within during 24 hours. In treated cells, qRT-PCR analysis revealed a decrease in MDR1 gene expression compared to untreated cells. Curcumin appears to enhance the effectiveness of fluconazole in fluconazole-resistant isolates by reducing MDR1 gene expression.

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