Short Guanidinium-Functionalized Poly(2-oxazoline)s Displaying Potent Therapeutic Efficacy on Drug-Resistant Fungal Infections.

Abstract

New antifungals are urgently needed to combat invasive fungal infections, due to limited types of available antifungal drugs and frequently encountered side effects, as well as the quick emergence of drug-resistance. We previously developed amine-pendent poly(2-oxazoline)s (POXs) as synthetic mimics of host defense peptides (HDPs) to have antibacterial properties, but with poor antifungal activity. Hereby, we report the finding of short guanidinium-pendent POXs, inspired by cell-penetrating peptides, as synthetic mimics of HDPs to display potent antifungal activity, superior mammalian cells versus fungi selectivity, and strong therapeutic efficacy in treating local and systemic fungal infections. Moreover, the unique antifungal mechanism of fungal cell membrane penetration and organelle disruption explains the insusceptibility of POXs to antifungal resistance. The easy synthesis and structural diversity of POXs imply their potential as a class of promising antifungal agents.

• Authors: Weinan Jiang, Min Zhou, Zihao Cong, Jiayang Xie, Wenjing Zhang, Sheng Chen, Jingcheng Zou, Zhemin Ji, Ning Shao, Xin Chen, Maoquan Li, Runhui Liu
• Journal: Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English) (Angew Chem Int Ed Engl) Vol. 61 Issue 17 Pg. e202200778 (04 19 2022) ISSN: 1521-3773 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 35182092 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.

Chemical References

• Anti-Infective Agents
• Antifungal Agents
• Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
• Oxazoles
• poly(2-oxazoline)
• Guanidine

Topics

• Animals
• Anti-Infective Agents (pharmacology)
• Antifungal Agents (chemistry, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides (pharmacology)
• Fungi
• Guanidine (pharmacology)
• Mammals
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests
• Mycoses (drug therapy)
• Oxazoles