Internal thiols and reactive oxygen species in candidacidal activity exerted by an N-terminal peptide of human lactoferrin

We previously showed that the energized mitochondrion and extracellular ATP are essential for the candidacidal activity of the N-terminal peptide of human lactoferrin, subsequently referred to as hLF(1-11). The present study focuses on the involvement of internal thiols and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the candidacidal activity exerted by hLF(1-11). Our results reveal that hLF(1-11) reduced the internal thiol level of Candida albicans by 20%. In agreement, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), which is a precursor of glutathione and an ROS scavenger, inhibited the candidacidal activity of hLF(1-11). In addition, azodicarboxylic acid bis(N,N-dimethylamide) (diamide), which oxidizes internal thiols, was candidacidal. Furthermore, hLF(1-11) increased the level of ROS production by C. albicans in a dose-dependent manner, and a correlation between ROS production and candidacidal activity was found. 6-Hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid (trolox), which is an ROS scavenger, partially inhibited the hLF(1-11)-induced, but not the diamide-triggered, candidacidal activity. It is of interest that hLF(1-11) and diamide acted synergistically in killing C. albicans and in ROS production. In agreement, oxidized ATP, an irreversible inhibitor of extracellular ATP receptors, partially blocked the hLF(1-11)-induced, but not the diamide-triggered, candidacidal activity. Finally, the hLF(1-11)-induced activation of mitochondria was inhibited by NAC, indicating that internal thiols and ROS affect mitochondrial activity. Therefore, the candidacidal activity of hLF(1-11) involves both generation of ROS and reduction of internal thiols.