Abstract
Objectives: This research work intends to clarify the role of artificial saliva, in particularly the role of mucin, a salivary protein, on the surface properties and adhesion ability of Candida spp. oral clinical isolates to abiotic surfaces. Methods: Four oral clinical isolates of Candida spp. were used: two Candida albicans strains (AC; AM) and two Candida parapsilosis strains (AD; AM2). The strains were isolated from patients using oral prosthesis. The microorganisms were cultured in the absence or presence of mucin and artificial saliva, and their adhesion to an abiotic surface (coated with mucin and artificial saliva) was evaluated. Results: The presence of mucin per se onto the abiotic surface decreased the adhesion of all strains, although the combination of mucin with artificial saliva had reduced this effect. No direct correlation between adhesion and the surface free energies of adhesion of the microorganisms was found. Significance: Candida spp. were human commensal microorganisms that became pathogenic when the host immune defenses were compromised. Medical devices were colonized by Candida spp. particularly, oral prostheses, which might lead to the degradation of the prostheses and systemic infections. The salivary secretions that constantly cover the oral cavity influenced Candida spp. adhesion process. Therefore, it was important to understand the interactions between Candida spp., salivary proteins and the characteristic of oral prosthesis when developing materials for oral prostheses.
Highlights
Candida spp. are opportunistic microorganisms present in the normal microbiota
The results show that the presence of the artificial saliva components mask the hydrophobic nature of the polystyrene surface, due to the adsorption of ions such as sodium, calcium, potassium, present in the artificial saliva that will influence the interactions between the electron-acceptor and electron-donor groups [20] [21]
This study shows that the role of mucin on Candida spp. adhesion is complex and must be carefully examined
Summary
Candida spp. are opportunistic microorganisms present in the normal microbiota. On the right environment, these microorganisms are able to colonize, invade and multiply in tissues and organs, causing fungal infections that can go from superficial lesions to systemic infections [1] [2]. The ability of Candida spp. to adhere to host cells and inert substrates is one of the main driving forces for its pathogenicity, often leading to colonization, infection, and formation of biofilms [3]. Saliva is formed by many defensive compounds, including mucins, antibodies, lysozyme or histatins that regulate the microorganism populations in the oral cavity [5]. Mucins are a major component of saliva These large glycoproteins, with a high degree of glycosylation and potential for hydration, present antimicrobial activity, and opsonization ability, and are important components of the acquired pellicle [5] [6]. Salivary proteins can adsorb onto oral surfaces like tooth enamel and dentures, forming the acquired enamel pellicle [7]-[9], to which microorganisms are able to adhere. Several studies have shown that saliva reduces the adherence of C. albicans to dentures and epithelial cells [9], but other authors describe that saliva enhances the adherence of Candida to polystyrene [10] and polymethylmethacrylate [11]
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