Synthesis and Antifungal Activity of Fmoc-Protected 1, 2, 4-Triazolyl-α-Amino Acids and Their Dipeptides Against Aspergillus Species(38 views) Sargsyan T, Stepanyan L, Panosyan H, Hakobyan H, Israyelyan M, Tsaturyan A, Hovhannisyan N, Vicidomini C, Mkrtchyan A, Saghyan A, Roviello GN
Synthesis and Antifungal Activity of Fmoc-Protected 1, 2, 4-Triazolyl-α-Amino Acids and Their Dipeptides Against Aspergillus Species
Abstract
In recent years, fungal infections have emerged as a significant health concern across veterinary species, especially in livestock such as cattle, where fungal diseases can result in considerable economic losses, as well as in humans. In particular,
Aspergillus
species, notably
Aspergillus flavus
and
Aspergillus versicolor
, are opportunistic pathogens that pose a threat to both animals and humans. This study focuses on the synthesis and antifungal evaluation of novel 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc)-protected 1,2,4-triazolyl-α-amino acids and their dipeptides, designed to combat fungal pathogens. More in detail, we evaluated their antifungal activity against various species, including
Aspergillus versicolor
(ATCC 12134) and
Aspergillus flavus
(ATCC 10567). The results indicated that dipeptide
7a
exhibited promising antifungal activity against
Aspergillus versicolor
with an IC
50
value of 169.94 µM, demonstrating greater potency than fluconazole, a standard treatment for fungal infections, which showed an IC
50
of 254.01 µM. Notably, dipeptide
7a
showed slightly enhanced antifungal efficacy compared to fluconazole also in
Aspergillus flavus
(IC
50
176.69 µM vs. 184.64 µM), suggesting that this dipeptide might be more potent even against this strain. Remarkably,
3a
and
7a
are also more potent than fluconazole against
A. candidus
10711. On the other hand, the protected amino acid
3a
demonstrated consistent inhibition across all tested
Aspergillus
strains, but with an IC
50
value of 267.86 µM for
Aspergillus flavus
, it was less potent than fluconazole (IC
50
184.64 µM), still showing some potential as a good antifungal molecule. Overall, our findings indicate that the synthesized 1,2,4-triazolyl derivatives
3a
and
7a
hold significant promise as potential antifungal agents in treating
Aspergillus
-induced diseases in cattle, as well as for broader applications in human health. Our mechanistic studies based on molecular docking revealed that compounds
3a
and
7a
bind to the same region of the sterol 14-α demethylase as fluconazole. Given the rising concerns about antifungal resistance, these amino acid derivatives, with their unique bioactive structures, could serve as a novel class of therapeutic agents. Further research into their in vivo efficacy and safety profiles is warranted to fully realize their potential as antifungal drugs in clinical and agricultural settings.
Synthesis and Antifungal Activity of Fmoc-Protected 1, 2, 4-Triazolyl-α-Amino Acids and Their Dipeptides Against Aspergillus Species
No results.
Synthesis and Antifungal Activity of Fmoc-Protected 1, 2, 4-Triazolyl-α-Amino Acids and Their Dipeptides Against Aspergillus Species