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. 2013 May 30;8(5):e64645.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0064645. Print 2013.

Dietary carbohydrates modulate Candida albicans biofilm development on the denture surface

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Dietary carbohydrates modulate Candida albicans biofilm development on the denture surface

Ivone Lima Santana et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether dietary carbohydrates can modulate the development of Candida albicans biofilms on the denture material surface. Poly (methyl methacrylate) acrylic resin discs were fabricated and had their surface roughness measured. Biofilms of C. albicans ATCC 90028 were developed on saliva-coated specimens in culture medium without (control) or with carbohydrate supplementation by starch, starch+sucrose, glucose, or sucrose for 72 h. The cell count, metabolic activity, biovolume, average thickness, and roughness coefficient were evaluated at the adhesion phase (1.5 h) and after 24, 48, and 72 h. The secretion of proteinases and phospholipases, cell surface energy, and production of extra/intracellular polysaccharides were analyzed after 72 h of biofilm development. Data were analyzed by one- and two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's test at 5% significance level. In the early stages of colonization (adhesion and 24 h), the glucose group showed the highest cell counts and metabolic activity among the groups (p<0.05). After maturation (48 and 72 h), biofilms exposed to glucose, sucrose, or starch+sucrose showed higher cell counts and metabolic activity than the control and starch groups (p<0.001). Compared to the control group, biofilms developed on starch or starch+sucrose had more proteinase activity (p<0.001), whereas biofilms developed on glucose or sucrose had more phospholipase activity (p<0.05). Exposure to starch+sucrose increased the production of extracellular and intracellular polysaccharides (p<0.05). Biofilms developed on starch or without carbohydrate supplementation presented cells with more hydrophobic behavior compared to the other groups. Confocal images showed hyphae forms on biofilms exposed to starch or starch+sucrose. Within the conditions studied, it can be concluded that dietary carbohydrates can modulate biofilm development on the denture surface by affecting virulence factors and structural features.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. C. albicans biofilms developed under exposure to dietary carbohydrates.
(A) Cell count and (B) metabolic activity of mature biofilms of C. albicans (48 and 72 h). (C) Proteinase-specific activity and (D) phospholipase-specific activity of C. albicans biofilms (72 h).
Figure 2
Figure 2. C. albicans biofilms (72 h) developed under exposure to dietary carbohydrates.
(A) Polysaccharide matrix and (B) cell surface energy.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Structural parameters of C. albicans biofilms (48 and 72 h) developed under exposure to dietary carbohydrates.
(A) Biovolume, (B) average thickness, and (C) roughness coefficient.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Representative confocal images of C. albicans biofilms (72 h) developed under exposure to dietary carbohydrates.
(A) Control, (B) starch, (C) starch+sucrose, (D) glucose, and (E) sucrose. Live cells appear green and dead cells appear red. A considerable number of hyphae forms can be observed in images B and C.

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This work was supported by Brazilian National Agency for Science and Technology (grant number 2006-7/308141). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.