Complex Electromagnetic Fields Reduce Candida albicans Planktonic Growth and Its Adhesion to Titanium Surfaces.

Simonetta D’Ercole,Tania Vanessa Pierfelice,Giovanna Iezzi,Alessandro Cipollina,Adriano Piattelli,Silvia Di Lodovico,Morena Petrini,Emira D’Amico,Luigina Cellini

doi:10.3390/biomedicines9091261

Abstract

This study evaluates the effects of different programs of complex electromagnetic fields (C.M.F.s) on Candida albicans, in planktonic and sessile phase and on human gingival fibroblasts (HGF cells). In vitro cultures of C. albicans ATCC 10231 and HGF cells were exposed to different cycles of C.M.F.s defined as: oxidative stress, oxidative stress/antibacterial, antibacterial, antibacterial/oxidative stress. Colony forming units (CFUs), metabolic activity, cells viability (live/dead), cell morphology, filamentation analysis, and cytotoxicity assay were performed. The broth cultures, exposed to the different C.M.F.s, were grown on titanium discs for 48 h. The quantity comparisons of adhered C. albicans on surfaces were determined by CFUs and scanning electron microscopy. The C. albicans growth could be readily controlled with C.M.F.s reducing the number of cultivable planktonic cells vs. controls, independently by the treatment applied. In particular, the antibacterial program was associated with lower levels of CFUs. The quantification of the metabolic activity was significantly lower by using the oxidative stress program. Live/dead images showed that C.M.F.s significantly decreased the viability of C. albicans. C.M.F.s inhibited C. albicans virulence traits reducing hyphal morphogenesis, adhesion, and biofilm formation on titanium discs. The MTS assay showed no negative effects on the viability of HGF. Independent of the adopted protocol, C.M.F.s exert antifungal and anti-virulence action against C. albicans, no cytotoxicity effects on HGF and can be useful in the prevention and treatment of yeast biofilm infections.

Highlights

The antimicrobial resistance is one of the most challenging problems of recent times [1].It has been calculated that every year 700,000 deaths across the world are directly correlated to this trouble and recent estimates expect an increase of this number [2]
We have shown that light emitting diodes (LEDs) at 880 nm could provide an antibacterial effect on Enterococcus faecalis, a very resistant pathogen that is usually the cause of primary and secondary endodontic failures, both in the planktonic and in the biofilm aggregation form [6,7,8]
The C. albicans broth cultures exposed to different program of C.M.F.s were characterized by a significant reduction of Colony forming units (CFUs) with respect to the unexposed sample (Figure 2)

Summary

Introduction

The antimicrobial resistance is one of the most challenging problems of recent times [1]. It has been calculated that every year 700,000 deaths across the world are directly correlated to this trouble and recent estimates expect an increase of this number [2]. This worrying global phenomenon, today involves a wide number of microorganisms including human pathogenic yeasts such as Candida spp. New innovative strategies are required and currently many efforts in different fields like culturomics, genomics, and bioinformatics allow us to gain further knowledge to overcome this problem [2].

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