Glucose modulates antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation ofCandida albicans in biofilms

Abstract

Candida albicans biofilm is a main cause of infections associated with medical devices such as catheters,contact lens and artificial joint prosthesis. The current treatment comprises antifungal chemotherapy thatpresents low success rates. Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) involves the combination of a photosensitiz-ing compound (PS) and light to generate oxidative stress that has demonstrated effective antimicrobialactivity against a broad-spectrum of pathogens, including C. albicans. This fungus senses glucose induc-ing an upregulation of membrane transporters that can facilitate PS uptake into the cell. The aim ofthis study was to evaluate the effects of glucose on methylene blue (MB) uptake and its influence onPDI efficiency when combined to a red LED with central wavelength at = 660 nm. C. albicans biofilmswere grown on hydrogel disks. Prior to PDI assays, MB uptake tests were performed with and withoutglucose-sensitization. In this system, the optimum PS administration was determined as 500 M of MBin contact with the biofilm during 30 min before irradiation. Irradiation was performed during 3, 6, 9, 12,15 and 18 min with irradiance of 127.3 mW/cm2. Our results showed that glucose was able to increaseMB uptake in C. albicans cells. In addition, PDI without glucose showed a higher viability reduction until6 min; after 9 min, glucose group demonstrated a significant decrease in cell viability when compared toglucose-free group. Taken together, our data suggest that glucose is capable to enhance MB uptake andmodulate photodynamic inactivation of C. albicans biofilm.