Cancidas
From Proteopedia
FunctionCaspofungin is a cyclic peptide, isolated from the fermentation products of the fungus "G. lozoyensis", that inhibits cell wall synthesis with inhibition of 1,3-β-glucan synthase. Inhibiting 1,3-β-glucan synthase leads to weakening of the cell wall and cell content leakage until death results. Caspofungin is unlike azole antifungal drugs as it triggers apoptosis of fungi and is not simply fungistatic [1]. Members of the Aspergillus and Candida genera are most susceptible to the drug showing extreme susceptibility in hyphae extremities, sites of cell wall synthesis [2].
StructureCaspofungin is composed of a cyclic hexapeptide with an N-terminus acylated by a carboxylic acid chain. The chemical structure contains a 3-hydroxy-proline residue, 3,4-dihydroxy-homotyrosine residue, 3-hydroxy-ornithine residue, 4-hydroxy-5-ethylenediamino-ornithine residue, 4-hydroxy-proline residue, and a threonine residue [3].
MechanismThe mode of action of caspofungin is unclear as to how it inhibits 1,3-β-glucan synthase by non-competitive inhibition but glucan biosynthesis absence in host cells ensures good selectivity for pathogenic fungi [4]. Medical Details/Additional InformationCandida glabrata is one of the most common fungal human pathogens found primarily in immunocompromised patients with HIV or undergoing chemotherapy. Recently "C. glabrata" has become more resistant to azole drugs which target the fungal cell membrane so the use of cell wall synthesis inhibitors such as caspofungin has increased [5]. Analysis of diversifying the structure of caspofungin showed the possibility of making the drug more potent to pathogenic fungi. By finding the optimal side chains and keeping the right lipopeptide as the hydrophobic core with the left lipopeptide as a hydrophilic structure, the compound becomes more active against Candida and Aspergillus [6].
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