“Innovative Approach Targets Fungal Infections, Saving Lives”

Scientists from the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Research Science (CSRS) and the University of Toronto have discovered a new approach to combat fungal infections by targeting their ability to produce fatty acids. This method, which inhibits fatty acid synthase, has shown promising results in reducing fatalities in infected laboratory worms by 50%. With fungal resistance to current treatments on the rise, this innovative strategy offers a potential alternative to combat a broad range of fungal species. SciTechDaily reported

Researchers have made a significant discovery in the fight against fungal infections by targeting the production of fatty acids, a vital component of fats, in fungi. This breakthrough approach, which was achieved by screening the RIKEN natural product depository (NPDepo) and identifying a compound called NPD6433, has shown promising results in reducing fatalities in infected laboratory worms by approximately 50%. The current treatments for fungal infections are becoming less effective due to increasing drug resistance, making this new strategy an important alternative. The findings of this study, conducted by scientists from the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Research Science (CSRS) and the University of Toronto, have been published in the scientific journal Cell Chemical Biology.

Fungal infections, such as Candida, Cryptococcus, and Aspergillus, are responsible for a significant number of deaths each year, and the resistance to traditional anti-fungal drugs is on the rise. To address this urgent issue, the researchers focused on finding a solution that would be effective against various species of fungi. They screened the RIKEN natural product depository against four pathogenic yeasts and identified several compounds that inhibited fungal growth by at least 50% in each species. After eliminating known compounds, they identified NPD6433 as a promising candidate. Further investigation revealed that NPD6433 works by inhibiting fatty acid synthase, preventing the production of fatty acids in fungal cells. Additional experiments demonstrated that NPD6433, along with another fatty acid synthase inhibitor called cerulenin, effectively killed various yeast species in culture.

To test the efficacy of NPD6433 in a live organism, the researchers used the worm Caenorhabditis elegans, which was infected with a pathogenic yeast. Treatment with NPD6433 resulted in a 50% reduction in fatalities, even in worms infected with yeast that were resistant to standard anti-fungal medication.

The researchers believe that targeting fatty acid synthesis offers a promising alternative therapeutic strategy for fungal infections. Unlike current treatments that are specific to certain species, this approach has the potential to be effective against a broad range of fungi. The discovery of NPD6433 and its impact on fatty acid production provides hope for the development of new drugs to combat drug-resistant fungi..