Molecular mechanisms of Pogostone-mediated inhibition on hyphal growth and biofilm formation in Candida albicans

Background As an opportunistic mycopathogen, Candida albicans (C. albicans) poses serious clinical challenges through its ability to cause diverse infections. What makes this pathogen particularly concerning are its high mortality rates and growing resistance to antifungals. Pogostone (PO) is a bioactive compound derived from Pogostemon cablin (patchouli) with potent anti-C. albicans activity. However, its exact mechanism of effect has yet to be elucidated. To address this gap, we conducted an investigation of PO's effects on C. albicans, with particular focus on its ability to inhibit hyphal growth and biofilm formation.Results PO exhibited concentration-dependent anti-C. albicans activity. PO effectively disrupted the morphological transition of hyphae, which is a crucial virulence factor in the pathogenic process of C. albicans. PO treatment resulted in significant attenuation of biofilm formation and substantially reduced metabolic activity. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that PO altered gene expression related to hyphal morphogenesis, biofilm formation, and key metabolic pathways. The downregulated virulence-associated genes (HWP1, ECE1, ALS3, TPK2, and EFG1) were confirmed by qRT-PCR. These findings suggest that PO targets multiple pathways, including ribosome function, energy metabolism, and biofilm-associated gene expression.Conclusions Our study provides novel insights into the antifungal mechanisms of PO and offers a promising alternative to current antifungal therapies.