Effect of Empagliflozin on Candida glabrata Adhesion to Vaginal Epithelial Cells

Abstract

A high incidence of genital infections, such as vulvovaginal candidiasis, has been reported in patients with diabetes treated with sodium-glucose co-transporter type 2 inhibitors. This is because Candida growth and virulence are enhanced in high glucose environments. Our previous study demonstrated that the adhesive interaction between Candida complement receptors and a ligand on vaginal epithelial cells (intracellular adhesion molecule-1: ICAM-1) is a factor for Candida albicans colonization, and the high ICAM-1 expression by vaginal epithelial cells exposed to high glucose conditions increases C. albicans adhesion. In this study, we examined the effect of a sodium-glucose co-transporter type 2 inhibitor, empagliflozin, on Candida glabrata adhesion to human cells (VK2/E6E7). There was no significant difference among four conditions that contained empagliflozin at various concentrations. We demonstrated that empagliflozin does not affect C. glabrata adhesion to VK2/E6E7 cells.