[The fungal cell wall and the mechanism of action of anidulafungin].

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Ponton J

[The fungal cell wall and the mechanism of action of anidulafungin].

Rev Iberoam Micol. 2008 Jun;25(2):78-82.

PubMed ID

18473501 [ View in PubMed

]

Abstract

The fungal cell wall is a structure with a high plasticity that protects the cell from different types of environmental stresses including changes in osmotic pressure. In addition to that, the cell wall allows the fungal cell to interact with its environment, since some of its proteins are adhesins and receptors. Some of its components are highly immunogenic. The structure of the fungal cell wall is unique to the fungi, and it is composed of glucan, chitin and glycoproteins. Since humans lack the components present in the cell walls of fungi, this structure is an excellent target for the development of antifungal drugs. Anidulafungin, like the rest of echinocandins acts on beta-1,3-D-glucan synthase inhibiting the formation of beta-1,3-D-glucan and causing, depending on the type of fungus, a fungicidal or either a fungistatic effect.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drug Targets

Drug	Target	Kind	Organism	Pharmacological Action	Actions
Anidulafungin	1,3-beta-glucan synthase component FKS1	Protein	Aspergillus niger (strain CBS 513.88 / FGSC A1513)	Yes	Inhibitor	Details