The statins, simvastatin and atorvastatin are the most widely prescribed drugs. Statins lower cholesterol levels through their action on HMG-CoA (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA) reductase, an essential enzyme for the biosynthesis of cholesterol. Fungal HMG-CoA reductases are also inhibited by statins, resulting in reduced levels of ergosterol (the fungal equivalent of cholesterol) and concomitant growth inhibition. This effect occurs in a range of fungal species and possibly affects fungal colonization of people on statin therapy. Furthermore, it may suggest that statins could have a role in new antifungal therapies. Possibly associated with the reduction in ergosterol levels, statins also inhibit respiratory growth. In the yeast, Candida glabrata, passage with statins dramatically increased the frequencies of petite mutants that were devoid of mitochondrial DNA, suggesting that statins caused a defect in the maintenance of mitochondrial DNA. These observations in C. glabrata may provide further insights into side effects of statins in humans undergoing treatment for hypercholesterolaemia. In addition, C. glabrata may be highly useful for the preliminary screening of agents to reduce statin side effects.
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December 2007
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Conference Article|
November 23 2007
Biological consequences of statins in Candida species and possible implications for human health
K. Wikhe;
K. Wikhe
*CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) Health and Molecular and Technologies and P-Health Flagship, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
†Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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C. Westermeyer;
C. Westermeyer
*CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) Health and Molecular and Technologies and P-Health Flagship, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
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I.G. Macreadie
I.G. Macreadie
1
*CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) Health and Molecular and Technologies and P-Health Flagship, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (email ian.macreadie@csiro.au).
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
May 29 2007
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2007 Biochemical Society
2007
Biochem Soc Trans (2007) 35 (6): 1529–1532.
Article history
Received:
May 29 2007
Citation
K. Wikhe, C. Westermeyer, I.G. Macreadie; Biological consequences of statins in Candida species and possible implications for human health. Biochem Soc Trans 1 December 2007; 35 (6): 1529–1532. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST0351529
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