Mortality associated with mucormycosis remains high despite current antifungals. Thus, new strategies to prevent and treat mucormycosis are urgently needed. As the most common cause for mucormycosis, Rhizopus oryzae is the logical target that can be focused on the discovery of efficient drugs to prevent or treat mucormycosis. Creative Biolabs is fully competent as an antifungal drug discovery CRO company and we take a comprehensive approach to aid in every stage of your drug discovery process.
Introduction to Rhizopus oryzae
Rhizopus oryzae (R. oryzae) is a complex of closely related, heterothallic species that are common, cosmopolitan saprotrophs in the soil, dung, and rotting vegetation. It is a group of zygomycete fungi. Strains of the R. oryzae complex have been used in industrial applications, such as wastewater treatment and food production. However, species in this group can also act as the opportunistic, invasive animal and human pathogens that cause deadly infections in immuno-compromised individuals. Specifically, R. oryzae is the most common organism isolated from patients with mucormycosis and is responsible for about 70% of all cases of mucormycosis.
Fig.1 Morphology of R. oryzae. (Mendoza, 2015)
Pathogenesis of R. oryzae
The infection occurs when the fungus invades the blood or lymph vessels in a process termed angioinvasion. This leads to thrombosis and subsequent necrosis of the infected tissues. Studies have demonstrated that R. oryzae spores and germ tubes can adhere to and damage human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) by a phagocytosis-dependent mechanism, which is likely central to the angioinvasion and tissue necrosis seen during zygomycotic infections. Another important factor in the pathogenesis of mucormycosis is the iron acquisition. Iron starvation was reported to induce apoptosis in R. oryzae in vitro, which may be a promising strategy for fungal drug discovery.
Antifungal Drugs against R. oryzae
Antifungal drugs are widely used to inhibit microbial growth and activity. There are a series of antifungals for the treatment of mucormycosis. However, R. oryzae is resistant to most antifungal agents, with the exception of the AMB and the third-generation azole, PCZ. Both AMB and PCZ target cell membrane, and thus there is a great need for identification of novel cellular targets for Mucorales species like R. oryzae.
Features of our Services
Creative Biolabs leverages our rich antifungal drug discovery expertise to support the rapidly growing interests in this field. We offer contract research services focusing on a wide range of potential drug targets for your antifungal drug discovery programs. Besides, to meet the novel drug discovery goals, we provide a comprehensive service package, covering target identification and validation, Hit identification, Hit to lead, Lead optimization, and IND enabling. Moreover, our services are characterized by:
Other fungi that are implicated in mucormycosis include:
Creative Biolabs has been key players in the antifungal drug discovery field for years and we are committed to being your best research partner to facilitate your drug discovery research and expand the influence of your projects. Please contact us for more details or a detailed quote.
Reference
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