Secreted aspartic protease 2 (SAP2) stands as one of the most pivotal virulence factors in Candida albicans (C. albicans). Consequently, the development of potent small-molecule inhibitors targeting SAP2 represents a critical stride toward the treatment of invasive candidiasis. In our previous studies, the lead compound SAP2-IN-1 was successfully identified and synthesized via integrated strategies of virtual screening and scaffold hopping. Preliminary structure-activity relationship (SAR) investigation was performed through rational design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of 10 novel indolin-2-one derivatives derived from the SAP2-IN-1 scaffold. Enzymatic inhibition and cell-based assays confirmed that compound A1 possesses favorable SAP2 inhibitory activity, with an IC50 of 0.87 μmol·L-1. Notably, when combined with fluconazole (FLC), compound A1 effectively suppressed the growth of fluconazole-resistant C. albicans 0304103, yielding fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) of 0.047. Furthermore, preliminary mechanistic studies revealed that A1 significantly impeded biofilm formation and hyphal transition in drug-resistant C. albicans. It possesses great potential as a novel antifungal lead compound and provides a new theoretical basis and research strategy for the development of virulence factor-targeted inhibitors to overcome the drug resistance of C. albicans.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |