**Executive Summary**
A recent study published on December 17, 2023, highlights a promising multidisciplinary approach for treating fungal keratitis. Researchers from LV Prasad Eye Institute and Bose Institute have designed a novel 15-residue peptide, SA-XV, that exhibits antifungal properties and promotes corneal wound healing. This peptide could offer an alternative to current treatments for fungal infections.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Background:**
* Fungal keratitis is a severe, sight-threatening corneal infection prevalent in India.
* Current treatment, amphotericin B, has limitations due to toxicity.
* **SA-XV Peptide:**
* Designed by LV Prasad Eye Institute and Bose Institute.
* Derived from a larger host-defense peptide, S100A12.
* Inhibits fungal growth and has been characterized for its antifungal potency.
* Non-toxic, serum-stable, and effective against Fusarium and Candida species.
* Reduces the severity of keratitis in mouse models.
* **Mechanism of Action:**
* Interacts with the fungal cell wall and plasma membrane.
* Translocates across the cell membrane and accumulates in the cytoplasm.
* Colocalizes in the nucleus, binds to genomic DNA, and halts the cell cycle.
* Targets the mitochondria, permeabilizes them, and induces fungal cell death through apoptosis.
* **Therapeutic Potential:**
* SA-XV is a dual-potential agent: antifungal and promoting corneal wound healing.
* Could become a novel therapeutic option for treating fungal infections and accelerating corneal wound healing.
* Publication link: 10.1016/j.jbc.2025.110743
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Patients with Fungal Keratitis**
* **Impact:** SA-XV offers a potential alternative treatment option to current treatments and may accelerate corneal wound healing.
* **Action Required:** Discuss treatment options with their healthcare provider
**Stakeholder: Medical Researchers and Pharmaceutical Companies**
* **Impact:** This study opens avenues for further research and development of antimycotic drugs with reduced side effects.
* **Action Required:** Conduct further studies to validate and potentially commercialize the SA-XV peptide.
**Stakeholder: Healthcare Providers**
* **Impact:** SA-XV offers a potential new treatment option for fungal keratitis.
* **Action Required:** Stay informed about the development and availability of SA-XV for treating patients with fungal keratitis.
Key Entities Referenced
LV Prasad Eye Institute: An eye institute in Hyderabad that collaborated with the Bose Institute in Kolkata to design the SA-XV peptide.
Bose Institute: An autonomous institute in Kolkata that collaborated with LV Prasad Eye Institute to design the SA-XV peptide.
Department of Science and Technology: The ministry under which Bose Institute is an autonomous institute.
SA-XV: A 15-residue peptide designed to inhibit fungal growth.
Fungal Keratitis: A severe sight-threatening infection of the cornea, targeted by the SA-XV peptide.
Ministry of Science & Technology
Peptide therapy emerges as a game-changer for
eye infections
प्रव तथ: 17 DEC 2025 5:18PM by PIB Delhi
A recent study offers a promising, multidisciplinary approach to treating fungal keratitis -- a severe, sight-
threatening infection of the cornea, the clear front part of the eye, caused by a fungal organism. It opens
new avenues in the search for antimycotics with reduced side effects.
Corneal infections, often referred to as a slow epidemic, affect a significant portion of the population in
India, particularly among those with agricultural backgrounds. In contrast, overuse and poor hygiene
practices related to contact lenses are major contributors to corneal infections. Currently, amphotericin B
is the only drug available to treat fungal infections. However, its use is limited due to nephrotoxicity and
high hemolytic activity. This creates an urgent need for the development of potent antimycotic drugs that
are safe for mammalian cells.
L V Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad, in collaboration the Bose Institute in Kolkata, an autonomous
institute under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, have designed a 15-
residue peptide, named SA-XV, derived from a larger host-defense peptide, S100A12. This peptide,
previously shown to inhibit fungal growth, has been characterized for its antifungal potency and
mechanism of action.
Fig: Representation of the application of SA-XV peptide as formulation to treat fungal keratitis along with
the mechanism of action of the peptide to cause death of Fusarium spp. Generated using Biorender.com.In their recent publication in the,” Journal of Biological Chemistry”, Dr. Sanhita Roy and her team from L
V Prasad Eye Institute and Professor Anirban Bhunia and his team from Bose Institute along with other
collaborators, reported that these antimicrobial peptides are non-toxic, serum-stable, and effective in
inhibiting the growth of both planktonic and biofilm forms of Fusarium and Candida species.
They also demonstrated that SA-XV reduced the severity of keratitis in mouse models. The study revealed
the peptide's mechanism of action: SA-XV first interacts with the fungal cell wall and plasma membrane,
then translocates across the cell membrane and accumulates in the cytoplasm. The peptide subsequently
colocalizes in the nucleus, binding to genomic DNA and halting the cell cycle. Finally, it targets the
mitochondria, permeabilizes them, and induces fungal cell death through apoptosis.
This study highlights SA-XV's dual potential; it is not only an antifungal agent but also for promoting
wound healing in corneal infections. The findings suggest that SA-XV could become a novel therapeutic
option for treating fungal infections and accelerating corneal wound healing, offering an alternative to
current treatments.
Publication link: 10.1016/j.jbc.2025.110743
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