RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of recombinant psoriasin as a novel treatment for oral candidiasis by eliminating Candida albicans growth on polymethyl methacrylate denture base. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Recombinant psoriasin protein was expressed and purified from E. coli, and Candida growth was monitored in vitro with varying concentrations of psoriasin. Subsequently, denture-base polymethyl methacrylate was immersed in psoriasin's solution or voriconazole, and fungal growth on the acrylic base and in the medium was examined by scanning electron microscopy and optical density, respectively. Cellular viability of HeLa and human gingival fibroblast cells treated with psoriasin was measured by methylene blue assay. RESULTS: The findings reveal an effective antifungal activity of psoriasin, completely inhibiting Candida albicans growth in RPMI at a protein concentration above 400 nM. Immersing the polymethyl methacrylate with 50 µM psoriasin completely eradicates fungal growth. Psoriasin has low cytotoxicity in HeLa cells at a concentration higher than 12 µM and no toxic effect on human gingival fibroblasts. CONCLUSIONS: This study marks psoriasin as an effective alternative to conventional antifungal treatments for denture stomatitis and a safe alternative to chemical antifungals in dental medicine and beyond.
RESUMEN
Cell-penetrating peptides show promise as versatile tools for intracellular delivery of therapeutic agents. Various peptides have originated from natural proteins with antimicrobial activity. We investigated the mammalian cell-penetrating properties of a 16-residue peptide with the sequence GRCRGFRRRCFCTTHC from the C-terminus tail of the Medicago truncatula defensin MtDef4. We evaluated the peptide's ability to penetrate multiple cell types. Our results demonstrate that the peptide efficiently penetrates mammalian cells within minutes and at a micromolar concentration. Moreover, upon N-terminal fusion to the fluorescent protein GFP, the peptide efficiently delivers GFP into the cells. Despite its remarkable cellular permeability, the peptide has only a minor effect on cellular viability, making it a promising candidate for developing a cell-penetrating peptide with potential therapeutic applications.