Hyphal Growth Inhibition by Deer Antler Extract Mimics the Effect of Chitin Synthase Deletion in Candida albicans

Chitin synthase null-mutants propagate in yeast form in RPMI medium with suppression of hyphal growth. This hyphal suppression is also observed in the wild type culture grown in RPMI medium supplemented with deer antler extract. To identify the possible target of deer antler extract, the enzymatic activities of chitin synthases were examined. The enzymatic activities of three chitin synthases, CAChsl, CAChs2, and CAChs3, were found to be differentially inhibited by deer antler extract. Of them, CAChsl, was the most sensitive to the extract. These results indicate that deer antler extract causes hyphal suppression, which resembles the effects of chitin synthase deletion, probably through direct inhibition of chitin synthases.