Effect of MAF-1A Peptide on ALS1 And ALS3 Gene Expression in Candida Albicans Isolated from Vulvovaginal Candidiasis

Abstract

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) represents a very common mucosal infection among women worldwide, and in more than 90% of cases, it is caused by Candida albicans. Pathogenicity in C. albicans is mainly related to virulence factors, among which the agglutinin-like sequence (ALS) genes play a significant role. These ALS genes, particularly ALS1 and ALS3, encode for cell surface glycoproteins that bind to host epithelial cells, necessary for biofilm formation and hyphal growth. Due to the ever-increasing emergence of antifungal resistance and failure in treatment associated with biofilms, there is a need for the exploration of new antimicrobial agents with different modes of action. Antimicrobial peptides, such as MAF-1A from Musca domestica (housefly), have demonstrated good antifungal activity against a broad spectrum of fungi. In this research, we investigated the effect of MAF-1A peptide on gene expression of ALS1 and ALS3 in clinical isolates of C. albicans obtained from VVC patients. Swabs were collected from 180 symptomatic patients and species of Candida were identified phenotypically and by molecular methods. The results demonstrated that 32 Candida albicans isolates were detected in patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis (17.8%). Susceptibility testing was carried out using MIC, and time-kill assays, while gene expression was quantified by RT-qPCR using the ΔΔCT method. MAF-1A showed concentration-dependent antifungal activity as complete fungicidal effect with no regrowth at 2×MIC within 2 hours. Treatment with MAF-1A significantly downregulated ALS1 expression (0.46–0.70 fold) and ALS3 expression (0.45–0.90 fold) across all three tested isolates. These results indicated a decrease in adhesion and virulence potential. It was therefore concluded that the MAF-1A peptide has dual effects against antifungal and anti-virulence, supporting its development as a promising therapeutic candidate for vulvovaginal candidiasis management.