Name: broth microdilution in vitro screening: an easy and fast method to detect new antifungal compounds
Uploaded: 2018-02-14T15:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Broth Microdilution In Vitro Screening: An Easy and Fast Method to Detect New Antifungal Compounds at JoVE.com

We thank CAPES-Brazil, CNPq-Brazil, FAP/DF for financial support. We are grateful to Dr. Hugo Costa Paes for revising the manuscript.

1. Solutions and Media
<ol>
	<li>Prepare 2X Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) 1640 medium, phosphate buffered saline (PBS), Sabouraud dextrose broth, and Sabouraud dextrose agar as per Table 1.</li>
</ol>
2. Fungal Inoculum Growth Conditions
<ol>
	<li>Store all fungal strains as frozen stocks in 35% glycerol at -80 &#176;C, until needed.</li>
	<li>Perform the following steps before each experiment.
	<ol>
		<li>For Candida albicans strains:
		<ol>
			<li>Thaw a st...

<ol>
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CLSI document M27-A3. , (2008).</li><li>Guilhelmelli, F., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Activity+of+Scorpion+Venom-Derived+Antifungal+Peptides+against+Planktonic+Cells+of+Candida+spp.+and+Cryptococcus+neoformans+and+Candida+albicans+Biofilms.">Activity of Scorpion Venom-Derived Antifungal Peptides against Planktonic Cells of Candida spp. and Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans Biofilms.</a> Front Microbiol. 7, 1844 (2016).</li><li>Roongruangsree, U. T., Kjerulf-Jensen, C., Olson, L. W., Lange, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Viability+Tests+for+Thick+Walled+Fungal+Spores+(ex:+Oospores+of+Peronospora+manshurica).">Viability Tests for Thick Walled Fungal Spores (ex: Oospores of Peronospora manshurica).</a> Journal of Phytopathology. 123 (3), 244-252 (1988).</li><li>Boedijn, K. B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Trypan+blue+as+stain+for+fungi.">Trypan blue as stain for fungi.</a> Stain Technol. 31 (3), 115-116 (1956).</li><li>Goihman-Yahr, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Studies+on+plating+efficiency+and+estimation+of+viability+of+suspensions+of+Paracoccidioides+brasiliensis+yeast+cells.">Studies on plating efficiency and estimation of viability of suspensions of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis yeast cells.</a> Mycopathologia. 71 (2), 73-83 (1980).</li><li>Tati, S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Histatin+5-spermidine+conjugates+have+enhanced+fungicidal+activity+and+efficacy+as+a+topical+therapeutic+for+oral+candidiasis.">Histatin 5-spermidine conjugates have enhanced fungicidal activity and efficacy as a topical therapeutic for oral candidiasis.</a> Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 58 (2), 756-766 (2014).</li><li>Petrou, M. A., Shanson, D. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Susceptibility+of+Cryptococcus+neoformans+by+the+NCCLS+microdilution+and+Etest+methods+using+five+defined+media.">Susceptibility of Cryptococcus neoformans by the NCCLS microdilution and Etest methods using five defined media.</a> J Antimicrob Chemother. 46 (5), 815-818 (2000).</li><li>Zaragoza, O., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Process+analysis+of+variables+for+standardization+of+antifungal+susceptibility+testing+of+nonfermentative+yeasts.">Process analysis of variables for standardization of antifungal susceptibility testing of nonfermentative yeasts.</a> Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 55 (4), 1563-1570 (2011).</li><li>Rodriguez-Tudela, J. L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Influence+of+shaking+on+antifungal+susceptibility+testing+of+Cryptococcus+neoformans:+a+comparison+of+the+NCCLS+standard+M27A+medium,+buffered+yeast+nitrogen+base,+and+RPMI-2%+glucose.">Influence of shaking on antifungal susceptibility testing of Cryptococcus neoformans: a comparison of the NCCLS standard M27A medium, buffered yeast nitrogen base, and RPMI-2% glucose.</a> Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 44 (2), 400-404 (2000).</li><li>Beggs, W. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Growth+phase+in+relation+to+ketoconazole+and+miconazole+susceptibilities+of+Candida+albicans.">Growth phase in relation to ketoconazole and miconazole susceptibilities of Candida albicans.</a> Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 25 (3), 316-318 (1984).</li><li>Alcouloumre, M. S., Ghannoum, M. A., Ibrahim, A. S., Selsted, M. E., Edwards, J. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fungicidal+properties+of+defensin+NP-1+and+activity+against+Cryptococcus+neoformans+in+vitro.">Fungicidal properties of defensin NP-1 and activity against Cryptococcus neoformans in vitro.</a> Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 37 (12), 2628-2632 (1993).</li></ol>

Microdilution tests can analyze the potential antifungal activity of a target compound using small quantities of the compound, and at the same time test it in a range of concentrations. Accordingly, this protocol is recommended as a first step in screening for potential new antifungal compounds. The protocol presented here is based on the M27-A3 protocol, initially designed to aid in the selection of antifungal therapy in clinics, and can be adapted to a variety of new antifungal compounds. Overall, this protocol can foc...

Fungal infections have become an important medical concern in recent decades, having considerably increased mainly due to a rise in the number of immunocompromised individuals such as those undergoing cancer treatment and those living with HIV/AIDS or transplanted organs1,2. However, a very limited array of available antifungal drugs and the increasing number of reports on fungal resistance to them contribute to the major problems regarding the therapeutics of systemic mycoses3.
A potential source of new antifungal compounds are antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), small cationic peptides produced by many organisms as part of their innate immune response to infection4. Nevertheless, the screening method to test these compounds against fungal pathogens is not standardized. Different procedures have been used to assess the antifungal activity of AMPs, sometimes for the same model microorganism5,6,7. These differences and the lack of detail in some protocols complicate comparisons between compounds and hampers reproducibility.
One way to standardize the testing of new drug candidates is to follow guidelines used to define antifungal susceptibility in clinical settings, such as the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) M27-A3 guidelines. However, these antifungal sensitivity tests are too restrictive, and do not take into consideration variation in metabolism across species, as they were only established for a few select agents. For example, they do not take into account the metabolic needs of non-fermenting yeasts.
This protocol allows the assessment of activity of prospective antifungal compounds, and is implemented here for the search for antifungal peptides. It is based on the broth microdilution susceptibility test from the CLSI M27-A3 guidelines with modifications that optimize the screening of new compounds8,9. These changes allow for the use of small amounts of compound, variations in temperature or initial inoculum, and different media for optimal pre-test growth, while standardizing the results with the use of reference antifungals as controls. This method, with the use of multi-well culture plates, makes it possible to quickly and reliably screen a large number of compounds.
Due to its inherent flexibility, this protocol can be used with different chemical classes of compounds and against other microorganisms, with few adaptations.

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Media and Reagents</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>RPMI 1640 medium with l-glutamine, without sodium bicarbonate</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher</td>
			<td>31800-022</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>3-(N-morpholino) propane sulfonic acid (MOPS) (o que a gente usa tem um s&#243;dio, completa o nome dele please)</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Use to buffer 2X RPMI medium</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium chloride (NaCl)</td>
			<td>Din&#226;mica</td>
			<td>1528-1</td>
			<td>137 mM for Phosphate buffered saline (PBS)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Potassium chloride (KCl)</td>
			<td>J.T.Baker</td>
			<td>3040-01</td>
			<td>2.7 mM for Phosphate buffered saline (PBS)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium phosphate dibasic (Na2HPO4)</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>V000129</td>
			<td>10 mM for Phosphate buffered saline (PBS)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4)</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>60230</td>
			<td>2 mM for Phosphate buffered saline (PBS)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BD Difco Sabouraud dextrose broth</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>238230</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BD Difco Sabouraud Dextrose Agar</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>210950</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glycerol</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>V000123</td>
			<td>35% for (solu&#231;&#227;o de estoque? Criopreserva&#231;&#227;o?)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sterile water</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Para dilui&#231;&#227;o das drogas na dilui&#231;&#227;o seriada</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Antifungal drugs</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Amphotericin B</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>A2942</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fluconazole</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>F8929</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Caspofungin</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>PHR1160</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Plastics</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>50 mL conical tube</td>
			<td>Sarstedt</td>
			<td>62.547.254</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dish petri</td>
			<td>J.Prolab</td>
			<td>0304-5</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>96 well plate</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>3595</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sterile Solution Reservoir</td>
			<td>KASVI</td>
			<td>K30-208</td>
			<td>Use to pippet the solutions using the multichannel pippet</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Equipment and other materials</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Optical microscope</td>
			<td>Nikon</td>
			<td>E200MV</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Centrifugue</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher</td>
			<td>MegaFuge 16R</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Incubator</td>
			<td>Ethik Technology</td>
			<td>403-3D</td>
			<td>Set to 37&#176; C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Shaker</td>
			<td>New Brunswick Scientific</td>
			<td>Excella E25</td>
			<td>Set to 37&#176; C, 200 RPM</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cell counting chamber, Neubauer</td>
			<td>BOECO Germany</td>
			<td>BOE 13</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Multichannel pipette</td>
			<td>HTL</td>
			<td>5123</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

broth microdilution in vitro screening: an easy and fast method to detect new antifungal compounds

Fungal infections have become an important medical condition in the last decades, but the number of available antifungal drugs is limited. In this scenario, the search for new antifungal drugs is necessary. The protocol reported here details a method to screen peptides for their antifungal properties. It is based on the broth microdilution susceptibility test from the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) M27-A3 guidelines with modifications to suit the research of antimicrobial peptides as potential new antifungals. This protocol describes a functional assay to evaluate the activity of antifungal compounds and may be easily modified to suit any particular class of molecules under investigation. Since the assays are performed in 96-well plates using small volumes, a large-scale screening can be completed in a short amount of time, especially if carried out in an automation setting. This procedure illustrates how a standardized and adjustable clinical protocol can help the bench-work pursuit of new molecules to improve the therapy of fungal diseases.

The MIC is defined as the lowest antimicrobial compound concentration that completely inhibits visible fungal growth at the end of the incubation period. Since the objective of this protocol is to have a fast method to screen potential antifungals, any well with clear media similar to the blank wells is considered a positive result, whereas any well with turbidity analogous to the negative/growth control wells is considered negative. However, if there is an interest in knowing whether a g...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Broth Microdilution In Vitro Screening: An Easy and Fast Method to Detect New Antifungal Compounds at JoVE.com

Broth Microdilution In Vitro Screening: An Easy and Fast Method to Detect New Antifungal Compounds

An easy and adaptable broth microdilution method for screening antifungal compounds and extracts.

Broth Microdilution In Vitro Screening: An Easy and Fast Method to Detect New Antifungal Compounds

Fungal infections have become an important medical condition in the last decades, but the number of available antifungal drugs is limited. In this ...

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