The glyoxylate cycle enzyme activities in the pathogenic isolates of Candida albicans obtained from HIV/AIDS, diabetic and burn patients

Abstract

Recently it has been found that Candida albicans harbours enzymes involved in the glyoxylate cycle (GC), which have a role in its virulence, especially the two key enzymes, isocitrate lyase (ICL) and malate synthase (MS). There are however, few studies on the GC enzyme activities isolated in the clinical isolates. Samples were collected from three groups of patients namely, HIV/AIDS, diabetic and burn patients suffering from candidiasis at different body locations. Isolation, identification and the antifungal susceptibility test of all the isolates of C. albicans were followed by the standard techniques. Measurements of all the GC enzyme activities were also carried out by the standard methods. Levels of the principal GC enzymes showed significant changes when calculated and compared taking control strains of C. albicans. The activity of the two key enzymes of the GC, ICL and MS were significantly higher in the isolates from diabetic patients. No significant relationship between the drug susceptibility and the level of enzymes of the GC was observed. As GC activity is absent in mammalian cells, a specific inhibitor for the GC could be developed and these enzymes therefore can be used as a new antifungal target.