Abstract
Nanocarriers have been used as alternative tools to overcome the resistance of Candida species to conventional treatments. This study prepared a nanocarrier of cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) using iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) conjugated with chitosan (CS), and assessed its antifungal and cytotoxic effects. CPC was immobilized on CS-coated IONPs, and the nanocarrier was physico-chemically characterized. Antifungal effects were determined on planktonic cells of Candida albicans and Candida glabrata (by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays) and on single- and dual-species biofilms of these strains (by quantification of cultivable cells, total biomass and metabolic activity). Murine fibroblasts were exposed to different concentrations of the nanocarrier, and the cytotoxic effect was evaluated by MTT reduction assay. Characterization methods confirmed the presence of a nanocarrier smaller than 313 nm. IONPs-CS-CPC and free CPC showed the same MIC values (0.78 µg mL−1). CPC-containing nanocarrier at 78 µg mL−1 significantly reduced the number of cultivable cells for all biofilms, surpassing the effect promoted by free CPC. For total biomass, metabolic activity, and cytotoxic effects, the nanocarrier and free CPC produced statistically similar outcomes. In conclusion, the IONPs-CS-CPC nanocarrier was more effective than CPC in reducing the cultivable cells of Candida biofilms without increasing the cytotoxic effects of CPC, and may be a useful tool for the treatment of oral fungal infections.
Highlights
Candida albicans is a commensal microorganism that may be isolated from oral, vaginal and gastrointestinal microbiomes in most healthy individuals [1]
It was found for iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) and cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) in the nanocarrier, which showed a diameter lower than 50 nm
It was possible to visualize the IONP core coated with CS, as well as CPC particles attached to CS, forming possible to visualize the IONP core coated with CS, as well as CPC particles attached to CS, forming a core-shell nanocarrier (Figure 1a,b)
Summary
Candida albicans is a commensal microorganism that may be isolated from oral, vaginal and gastrointestinal microbiomes in most healthy individuals [1]. J. Fungi 2020, 6, 218 this fungus may act opportunistically forming biofilms and leading to oral or systemic infections associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality [2]. In oral fungal infections such as denture stomatitis and oropharyngeal candidiasis, Candida glabrata is the second or third most prevalent Candida species, and exerts interactions of competition [3], antagonism [4] or indifference [5]. With C. albicans, which may modulate the virulence factors of these species. A cooperative behavior may be observed, since C. glabrata adheres to hyphae of C. albicans in order to facilitate its invasion into deeper tissues of the host [6,7]
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