In Vitro Activity of the Antifungal Plant Defensin RsAFP2 against CandidaIsolates and Its In Vivo Efficacy in Prophylactic Murine Models of Candidiasis

ABSTRACTWe show that RsAFP2, a plant defensin that interacts with fungal glucosylceramides, is active against Candida albicans, inhibits to a lesser extent other Candidaspecies, and is nontoxic to mammalian cells. Moreover, glucosylceramide levels in Candidaspecies correlate with RsAFP2 sensitivity. We found RsAFP2 prophylactically effective against murine candidiasis.