Elucidation of furanone as ergosterol pathway inhibitor in <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i>

In the era of antiretroviral therapy, the prevalence of Cryptococcal infection among HIV patients in developed countries has decreased considerably. However, <i>C. neoformans</i> ranks top among the critical priority pathogen that affects a wide range of immunocompromised individuals. The threat of <i>C. neoformans</i> is because of its incredibly multifaceted intracellular survival capabilities. Cell membrane sterols especially ergosterol and enzymes of its biosynthetic pathway are considered fascinating drug targets because of their structural stability. In this study, the ergosterol biosynthetic enzymes were modeled and docked with furanone derivatives. Among the tested ligands Compound <b>6</b> has shown a potential interaction with Lanosterol 14 α-demethylase. This best-docked protein-ligand complex was taken further to molecular dynamics simulation. In addition, Compound <b>6</b> was synthesized and an <i>in vitro</i> study was conducted to quantify the ergosterol in Compound <b>6</b> treated cells. Altogether the computational and <i>in vitro</i> study demonstrates that Compound <b>6</b> has anticryptococcal activity by targeting the biosynthetic pathway of ergosterol. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma