In Vitro and In Vivo Antibiofilm Potential of Eicosane Against Candida albicans

Candida albicans is the most prevalent fungus in humans, producing infections ranging from mucosal to systemic. C. albicans colonizes mucosal surfaces asymptomatically as commensal, but, if the host environment is disrupted, or if the host immune system is compromised, C. albicans can multiply and infect almost all places in the host. The present study was aimed to identify a promising antibiofilm agent against Candida albicans biofilm. Through the molecular docking approach, it was identified that Eicosane was the top hit among the alkanes screened. Furthermore, in vitro analysis revealed that Eicosane at 100 µg/mL was able to inhibit 60% of C. albicans biofilm without inhibiting the growth. Moreover, light microscopic investigation unveiled the significant reduction in the adhesion and colonization of yeast cells to the matrix on Eicosane-treated samples. The CLSM images showing a reduction in biomass and thickness of C. albicans biofilm in the presence of Eicosane were validated using COMSTAT. The results were well corroborated with SEM micrograph in which a pellucid gap between the cells was observed and colonization was considerably reduced. Further from qPCR analysis, the genes responsible for biofilm formation and hyphal growth were found to be downregulated in the presence of Eicosane. Similarly, Eicosane at BIC was able to significantly inhibit the adhesion and colonization of yeast cells on the chorion of the zebrafish embryos. Moreover, the binding ability of Eicosane to ALS3 was revealed through docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies.