The Membranotropic Peptide <i>gH625</i> to Combat Mixed <i>Candida albicans</i>/<i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> Biofilm: Correlation between In Vitro Anti-Biofilm Activity and In Vivo Antimicrobial Protection

• Main Authors: Angela Maione, Elisabetta de Alteriis, Federica Carraturo, Stefania Galdiero, Annarita Falanga, Marco Guida, Anna Di Cosmo, Valeria Maselli, Emilia Galdiero
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-01-01
• Series: Journal of Fungi
• Subjects: <i>Galleria mellonella</i>; polymicrobial biofilm; experimental method in vivo
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/7/1/26
• ISSN: 2309-608X

The antibiofilm activity of a gH625 analogue was investigated to determine the in vitro inhibition and eradication of a dual-species biofilm of <i>Candida albicans</i> and <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>, two leading opportunistic pathogens responsible for several resistant infections. The possibility of effectively exploiting this peptide as an alternative anti-biofilm strategy in vivo was assessed by the investigation of its efficacy on the <i>Galleria mellonella</i> larvae model. Results on larvae survival demonstrate a prophylactic efficacy of the peptide towards the infection of each single microorganism but mainly towards the co-infection. The expression of biofilm-related genes in vivo showed a possible synergy in virulence when these two species co-exist in the host, which was effectively prevented by the peptide. These findings provide novel insights into the treatment of medically relevant bacterial–fungal interaction.