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Effect of Pemetrexed and Methotrexate on Fluconazole Susceptibility in Yeast Cover

Effect of Pemetrexed and Methotrexate on Fluconazole Susceptibility in Yeast

Open Access
|Dec 2025

Figures & Tables

Table 1.

Summary characteristics of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for fluconazole among the tested strains before and after exposure to methotrexate (MTX) or pemetrexed (PMX). The p-value in the first column reflects the outcome of the one-sided Wilcoxon test for paired samples.

Minimal inhibitory concentration to Fluconazole [μg/mL]
All strains
n= 18
C. albicans
n= 12
C. tropicalis
n= 3
N. glabratus
n= 3
Before stimulationRange0.13 – 16.000.13 – 1.000.25 – 1.001.00 – 16.00
Median
(Q1-Q3)
0.25
(0.25-0.88)
0.25
(0.22-0.25)
0.50
(0.38-0.75)
1.00
(1.00-8.50)
Geometric mean MIC0.400.240.502.52
After MTXRange0.13 – 16.000.13 – 12.000.25 – 1.000.38 – 16.00
Median
(Q1-Q3)
0.28
(0.25-0.84)
0.25
(0.13-0.31)
0.25
(0.25-0.63)
16.00
(8.19-16.00)
Geometric mean MIC0.550.350.404.58
Average MIC change [%]191%171%-17%479%
Maximal MIC change [%]1500%1100%-50%1500%
p value0.750.860.16*0.67*
After PMXRange0.13 – 16.000.13 – 8.000.13 – 4.000.25 – 16.00
Median
(Q1-Q3)
0.19
(0.13-0.45)
0.16
(0.13-0.22)
0.25
(0.19-2.13)
6.00
(3.13-11.00)
Geometric mean MIC0.410.240.502.88
Average MIC change [%]75%61%67%142%
Maximal MIC change [%]700%700%300%500%
p value0.480.440.50*0.67*

1 * In the case of C. tropicalis and N. glabratus, the small sample size (n=3) confers very limited statistical power, and therefore the test results should be interpreted with caution. Q1, first quartile; Q3, third quartile.

Table 2.

Change in the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value for Fluconazole before and after exposure to methotrexate (MTX) or pemetrexed (PMX) for each of the tested strains. The color of the cell reflects changes in MIC for FLU after antifolate stimulation: red indicates an increase, green a decrease and white-no MIC change.

SpeciesStrain numberMIC before stimulation [μg/mL]MIC after MTX exposure (% of MIC change)MIC after PMX exposure (% of MIC change)
C. albicans10.130.13 (0%)0.19 (50%)
20.250.31 (25%)0.13 (-50%)
30.250.13 (-50%)0.13 (-50%)
41.0012.00 (1100%)8.00 (700%)
50.250.13 (-50%)0.13 (-50%)
60.250.13 (-50%)0.13 (-50%)
70.250.25 (0%)0.19 (-25%)
80.250.25 (0%)0.13 (-50%)
90.252.25 (800%)0.50 (100%)
100.250.31 (25%)0.13 (-50%)
110.130.25 (100%)0.19 (50%)
12 *0.130.31 (150%)0.31 (150%)
C. tropicalis130.500.25 (-50%)0.25 (-50%)
140.250.25 (0%)0.13 (-50%)
151.001.00 (0%)4.00 (300%)
N. glabratus161.0016.00 (1500%)6.00 (500%)
1716.0016.00 (0%)16.00 (0%)
18 **1.000.38 (-63%)0.25 (-75%)

1 * C. albicans reference strain ATCC 90028;

1 **N. glabratus reference strain ATCC 15126

Table 3.

Change of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for fluconazole among the tested strains of which MIC changed after exposure to methotrexate (MTX) or pemetrexed (PMX). ‘The p-value in the first column reflects the outcome of the one-sided Wilcoxon test for paired samples.

Change of minimal inhibitory concentration to Fluconazole [μg/mL] after stimulation with an antifolate
All strains that showed an increase in MICC. albicans strains that showed an increase in MICAll strains that showed a decrease in MICC. albicans strains that showed a decrease in MIC
After MTXMinimal MIC change [%]25%25%-50%-50%
Maximal MIC change [%]1500%1100%-63%-50%
Average MIC change [%]
±SD
529%
± 602%
367%
± 464%
-53%
± 6%
-50%
± 0%
Number of strains7653
p value<0.010.020.030.13*
After PMXMinimal MIC change [%]50%50%-25%-25%
Maximal MIC change [%]700%700%-75%-50%
Average MIC change [%]
±SD
264%
± 251%
210%
± 277%
-50%
± 12%
-46%
± 9%
Number of strains75107
p value<0.010.03<0.01<0.01

1 * In the case of C. albicans strains that showed a decrease in MIC after stimulation with MTX, the small sample size (n=3) confers very limited statistical power, and therefore the test results should be interpreted with caution. SD-standard deviation

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/am-2025-0019 | Journal eISSN: 2545-3149 | Journal ISSN: 0079-4252
Language: English, Polish
Page range: 243 - 250
Submitted on: May 14, 2025
Accepted on: Nov 24, 2025
Published on: Dec 24, 2025
Published by: Polish Society of Microbiologists
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 4 issues per year

© 2025 Dawid Żyrek, Joanna Nowicka, Magdalena Pajączkowska, published by Polish Society of Microbiologists
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.