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Cited by 38Antifungal resistance and susceptibilityFungal and yeast genetics researchFungal Infections and Studies

Disruption of iron homeostasis and mitochondrial metabolism are promising targets to inhibit Candida auris

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Simm, Claudia, Weerasinghe, Harshini, Thomas, David R., Harrison, Paul F., Newton, Hayley J., Beilharz, Traude H., Traven, Ana·2022·Microbiology Spectrum
DOI 10.1128/spectrum.00100-22PMC PMC9045333
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Abstract

Over the last decade, Candida auris has emerged as a human pathogen around the world causing life-threatening infections with wide-spread antifungal drug resistance, including pandrug resistance in some cases. In this study, we addressed the mechanism of action of the antiparasitic drug pyrvinium pamoate against C. auris and show how metabolism could be inhibited to curb C. auris proliferation.

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  • C. auris can replicate within macrophages, using metabolic plasticity to survive and escape the phagolysosomal environment.

    “Recent studies showed that C. auris can replicate within macrophages, using metabolic plasticity to survive and escape the phagolysosomal environment [90,91].”

    From Host–Candida auris interactions in the skin (2026) · cites this paper as [91]

    The Results report that C. auris replicated inside mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages, and the Discussion says metabolic flexibility is needed in glucose-poor host niches such as the macrophage phagosome (page numbers unavailable). The paper does not establish that metabolic plasticity enables C. auris to escape the phagolysosomal environment. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Disruption of mitochondria and iron homeostasis restricts the proliferation of C. auris within macrophages.

    “Disruption of mitochondria and iron homeostasis restricts the proliferation of C. auris within macrophages, underscoring the metabolic dependence of this phenomenon [91].”

    From Host–Candida auris interactions in the skin (2026) · cites this paper as [91]

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References 75 · Cited by 38

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Authors
Simm, C., Weerasinghe, H., Thomas, D. R., Harrison, P. F., Newton, H. J., Beilharz, T. H., & Traven, A.
Affiliations
  • Monash University (AU)
  • The University of Melbourne (AU)
Corresponding author
  • Simm, Claudia
  • Traven, Ana
ORCID
Venue
Microbiology Spectrum
Publisher
American Society for Microbiology
Published
2022-04-27
Volume
10
Issue
2
Pages
e0010022-e0010022
ISSN
2165-0497 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1128/spectrum.00100-22
PMC
PMC9045333
OpenAlex
W4223434286
Cited by
38
References
75
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 2
FWCI
3.06
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Microbiology Spectrum (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Department of Health | National Health and Medical Research Council (APP1158678, APP2002520)
  • Department of Education and Training | Australian Research Council (FT190100733, FT180100049)
  • Monash-Warwick University Alliance AMR Training Program Fellowship (N/A)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Antifungal resistance and susceptibility
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Fungal and yeast genetics research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Fungal Infections and Studies
Keywords
Candida auris, iron homeostasis, mitochondrial metabolism, pyrvinium pamoate, antifungal drug targets
MeSH terms
Candida auris, Antifungal Agents, Candida, Homeostasis, Humans, Iron, Microbial Sensitivity Tests, Mitochondria

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