Les buts de notre projet étaient d'étudier les effets de certains polyphenols de plantes sur la croissance, la survie, la formation du biofilm et la transition blastospore-hyphe de C. albicans, une levure responsable des candidoses humaines. Ce projet a permis de démontrer que deux polyphenols naturels de la réglisse, la licochalcone A et la glabridine, ainsi qu'un polyphenol synthétisé en laboratoire, le 4-hydroxycordoin, ont des propriétés intéressantes contre certains facteurs de virulence de C. albicans. La licochalcone A et la glabridine ont montré un effet fongicide et une action synergique avec le nystatin. La licochalcone A et le 4-hydroxycordoin ont démontré une capacité d'inhiber la formation du biofilm, alors que les trois polyphenols ont montré un effet inhibiteur sur la transition blastospore-hyphe de C. albicans. Ces molécules possèdent donc un potentiel pour le traitement ou la prévention d'infections fongiques buccales à C. albicans.

por fatores químicos e físicos, promovendo infecções hospitalares relacionadas ao uso de cateteres e demais instrumentos hospitalares, elevando os índices de mortalidade e morbidade de pacientes. Portanto, garantir a correta desinfecção capaz de impedir contaminações e infecções em ambientes hospitalares é de extrema importância. Para este fim, neste estudo explorou-se a seleção de uma substância capaz de marcar e ser biocida contra biofilmes fúngicos em superfícies de aço inox, a partir de nove candidatos benzimidazóis fluorescentes, com códigos NB1 a NB9 e oito sais imidazólicos de corantes azóicos, denominados C4MImErioCr, C10MImMO, C16MImMO, (C10)2MImMO, C4MImMO, C10MImORANGEII, C16MImORANGEII e (C10)2MImORANGEII. Desenvolveu-se para este fim um roteiro metodológico para determinar quais destas substancias são capazes de marcar e eliminar biofilmes de forma eficaz e segura. Os métodos utilizados para avaliar as substâncias foram (1) a Concentração Mínima Inibitória (MIC) conforme protocolo do CLSI M27-A3, (2) microscopias verificando capacidade das substâncias em marcar células, (3) ensaios com deposição sobre superfície do corpo de prova (placas de aço inox) com biofilme, (4) verificação da atividade biocida sobre biofilmes utilizando microscopias e (5) ensaios de citotoxicidade. Essas substâncias foram testadas frente a nove cepas de Candida spp., incluindo C. tropicalis, C. albicans e C. parapsilosis Na avaliação das substâncias, SI de corantes azóicos inibiram o crescimento celular de fungos, já o benzimidazol fluorescente NB7 apresentou atividades simultâneas de detecção e ação biocida sobre o biofilme. Todas as cepas testadas foram sensíveis a essa substância. Além disso, os biofilmes formados pelas cepas ATCC 18804 (C. albicans,) ATCC 22019 (C. parapsilosis) e ATCC 750 (C. tropicalis) na superfície de aço inox 304 sofreram ação biocida, quando expostas por 15 segundos a NB7, sendo um potencial sanitizante. / Biofilms provide an environment capable of protecting microbial cells from damage by chemical and physical factors of the immune system, and hinder the penetration of various antimicrobial agents, promoting nosocomial infections related to catheters, increasing mortality and morbidity of patients. Therefore, it is important to ensure proper hygiene to prevent contamination and infections in hospital environments. For this purpose, this study explored the identification of a substance that both detects and have biocide activity against fungal biofilms on stainless steel surfaces. Both nine fluorescent benzimidazole substances, coded NB1 to NB9 and eight imidazolium salts of azo dyes, named denominados C4MImErioCr, C10MImMO, C16MImMO, (C10)2MImMO, C4MImMO, C10MImORANGEII, C16MImORANGEII e (C10)2MImORANGEII were tested as candidates. These substances were tested applying a methodology developed to determine if a substance is able detecting and have biocide activity against fungal biofilms. Overall, this study involved the following methods: (1) Minimum Inhibitory concentration test following the CLSI protocol (M27-A3; the substances were tested against nine fungal strains, including C. tropicalis, C. albicans and C. parapsilosis.), (2) microscopy to determine the marker capacity, (3) spraying tests of the substances on surfaces (stainless steel) with fungal biofilms, (4) tests to verify the capability of the substances to both stain and were biocide against fungal biofilms, applying microscopic techniques and (5) cytotoxicity tests Within the set of seventeen substances, benzimidazole derivative NB7 was identified with the desired capabilities, staining and biocide activity against fungal biofilms at the same time. All tested fungal strains were sensible to this substance. A biocide activity was identified on the biofilms of ATCC 18804 (C. albicans), ATCC 22019 (C. parapsilosis) and ATCC 750 (C .tropicalis), grown on stainless steel 304, when exposed fifteen seconds to substance NB7. Although this substance showed being cytotoxic, it represents a promising candidate for sanitization purposes, including medical tools.

Les lipases/acyltransférases présentent des propriétés intermédiaires entre les lipases et les acyltransférases. Capables de se comporter comme des hydrolases, elles catalysent cependant la réaction de transfert d'acyle préférentiellement à l'hydrolyse même en milieu aqueux à forte activité thermodynamique de l'eau en présence de divers nucléophiles. La recherche de nouvelles lipases/acyltransférases, soit sécrétées par des levures sauvages, soit identifiées parmi les séquences protéiques disponibles dans des bases de données, nous a permis d'identifier deux nouvelles enzymes de ce type : CvisL2 de Candida viswanathii et CtroL4a de C. tropicalis. Cette dernière, produite par expression hétérologue, a été plus particulièrement étudiée en comparaison avec les deux lipases/acyltransférases déjà connues, CpLIP2 de C. parapsilosis et CaLIP4 de C. albicans, ainsi qu'avec des enzymes plus éloignées (AflaL0a d'Aspergilus flavus, isolée dans ce travail, et CaLA de C. antarctica, qui présentent respectivement 35 % et 31 % d'identité avec CpLIP2). Le caractère spécifique des acyltransférases semble relié à leur degré d'homologie et à leurs relations phylogénétiques. En effet, les trois lipases/acyltransférases étudiées appartiennent à un sous-groupe phylogénétique distinct composé de diverses autres protéines actuellement non-caractérisées présentant plus de 57 % d'identité avec CpLIP2. En plus de leur activité acyltransférase plus ou moins prononcée, ces nouveaux biocatalyseurs diffèrent par leur spécificité de substrat, leur stabilité en présence de fortes concentrations en alcool ou leur activité à basse température, élargissant ainsi le spectre des applications potentielles des lipases et lipases/acyltransférases. / Lipases/acyltransferases have intermediate properties between lipases and acyltransferases. Although being active hydrolases, they catalyze acyltransfer reactions preferentially to hydrolysis even in an aqueous medium with a high thermodynamic activity of water in the presence of various nucleophiles. Searching for new lipases/acyltransferases, either secreted by wild yeast strains or identified in protein sequences databases, allowed us to identify two new enzymes of this type: CvisL2 from Candida viswanathii and CtroL4a from C. tropicalis. The latter, produced by heterologous expression, has been more particularly studied and compared with the two already known, closely related, lipases/acyltransferases, CpLIP2 from C. parapsilosis and CaLIP4 from C. albicans, and with two more distantly related lipases (a new lipase AflaL0a from Aspergillus flavus and CaLA from C. antarctica, with 35 % and 31 % identity with CpLIP2, respectively). The specific catalytic behavior of the acyltransferases seems to be associated with sequence homology and phylogenetic relationships. Indeed, the three lipases/acyltransferases studied are part of a phylogenetic subgroup composed of various proteins (identity with CpLIP2 higher than 57 %), currently not characterized. Besides their acyltransfer activity, these new biocatalysts differ in properties such as their substrate selectivity, their stability in the presence of high alcohol concentration or their activity at low temperature, opening the way to new applications.

por fatores químicos e físicos, promovendo infecções hospitalares relacionadas ao uso de cateteres e demais instrumentos hospitalares, elevando os índices de mortalidade e morbidade de pacientes. Portanto, garantir a correta desinfecção capaz de impedir contaminações e infecções em ambientes hospitalares é de extrema importância. Para este fim, neste estudo explorou-se a seleção de uma substância capaz de marcar e ser biocida contra biofilmes fúngicos em superfícies de aço inox, a partir de nove candidatos benzimidazóis fluorescentes, com códigos NB1 a NB9 e oito sais imidazólicos de corantes azóicos, denominados C4MImErioCr, C10MImMO, C16MImMO, (C10)2MImMO, C4MImMO, C10MImORANGEII, C16MImORANGEII e (C10)2MImORANGEII. Desenvolveu-se para este fim um roteiro metodológico para determinar quais destas substancias são capazes de marcar e eliminar biofilmes de forma eficaz e segura. Os métodos utilizados para avaliar as substâncias foram (1) a Concentração Mínima Inibitória (MIC) conforme protocolo do CLSI M27-A3, (2) microscopias verificando capacidade das substâncias em marcar células, (3) ensaios com deposição sobre superfície do corpo de prova (placas de aço inox) com biofilme, (4) verificação da atividade biocida sobre biofilmes utilizando microscopias e (5) ensaios de citotoxicidade. Essas substâncias foram testadas frente a nove cepas de Candida spp., incluindo C. tropicalis, C. albicans e C. parapsilosis Na avaliação das substâncias, SI de corantes azóicos inibiram o crescimento celular de fungos, já o benzimidazol fluorescente NB7 apresentou atividades simultâneas de detecção e ação biocida sobre o biofilme. Todas as cepas testadas foram sensíveis a essa substância. Além disso, os biofilmes formados pelas cepas ATCC 18804 (C. albicans,) ATCC 22019 (C. parapsilosis) e ATCC 750 (C. tropicalis) na superfície de aço inox 304 sofreram ação biocida, quando expostas por 15 segundos a NB7, sendo um potencial sanitizante. / Biofilms provide an environment capable of protecting microbial cells from damage by chemical and physical factors of the immune system, and hinder the penetration of various antimicrobial agents, promoting nosocomial infections related to catheters, increasing mortality and morbidity of patients. Therefore, it is important to ensure proper hygiene to prevent contamination and infections in hospital environments. For this purpose, this study explored the identification of a substance that both detects and have biocide activity against fungal biofilms on stainless steel surfaces. Both nine fluorescent benzimidazole substances, coded NB1 to NB9 and eight imidazolium salts of azo dyes, named denominados C4MImErioCr, C10MImMO, C16MImMO, (C10)2MImMO, C4MImMO, C10MImORANGEII, C16MImORANGEII e (C10)2MImORANGEII were tested as candidates. These substances were tested applying a methodology developed to determine if a substance is able detecting and have biocide activity against fungal biofilms. Overall, this study involved the following methods: (1) Minimum Inhibitory concentration test following the CLSI protocol (M27-A3; the substances were tested against nine fungal strains, including C. tropicalis, C. albicans and C. parapsilosis.), (2) microscopy to determine the marker capacity, (3) spraying tests of the substances on surfaces (stainless steel) with fungal biofilms, (4) tests to verify the capability of the substances to both stain and were biocide against fungal biofilms, applying microscopic techniques and (5) cytotoxicity tests Within the set of seventeen substances, benzimidazole derivative NB7 was identified with the desired capabilities, staining and biocide activity against fungal biofilms at the same time. All tested fungal strains were sensible to this substance. A biocide activity was identified on the biofilms of ATCC 18804 (C. albicans), ATCC 22019 (C. parapsilosis) and ATCC 750 (C .tropicalis), grown on stainless steel 304, when exposed fifteen seconds to substance NB7. Although this substance showed being cytotoxic, it represents a promising candidate for sanitization purposes, including medical tools.

por fatores químicos e físicos, promovendo infecções hospitalares relacionadas ao uso de cateteres e demais instrumentos hospitalares, elevando os índices de mortalidade e morbidade de pacientes. Portanto, garantir a correta desinfecção capaz de impedir contaminações e infecções em ambientes hospitalares é de extrema importância. Para este fim, neste estudo explorou-se a seleção de uma substância capaz de marcar e ser biocida contra biofilmes fúngicos em superfícies de aço inox, a partir de nove candidatos benzimidazóis fluorescentes, com códigos NB1 a NB9 e oito sais imidazólicos de corantes azóicos, denominados C4MImErioCr, C10MImMO, C16MImMO, (C10)2MImMO, C4MImMO, C10MImORANGEII, C16MImORANGEII e (C10)2MImORANGEII. Desenvolveu-se para este fim um roteiro metodológico para determinar quais destas substancias são capazes de marcar e eliminar biofilmes de forma eficaz e segura. Os métodos utilizados para avaliar as substâncias foram (1) a Concentração Mínima Inibitória (MIC) conforme protocolo do CLSI M27-A3, (2) microscopias verificando capacidade das substâncias em marcar células, (3) ensaios com deposição sobre superfície do corpo de prova (placas de aço inox) com biofilme, (4) verificação da atividade biocida sobre biofilmes utilizando microscopias e (5) ensaios de citotoxicidade. Essas substâncias foram testadas frente a nove cepas de Candida spp., incluindo C. tropicalis, C. albicans e C. parapsilosis Na avaliação das substâncias, SI de corantes azóicos inibiram o crescimento celular de fungos, já o benzimidazol fluorescente NB7 apresentou atividades simultâneas de detecção e ação biocida sobre o biofilme. Todas as cepas testadas foram sensíveis a essa substância. Além disso, os biofilmes formados pelas cepas ATCC 18804 (C. albicans,) ATCC 22019 (C. parapsilosis) e ATCC 750 (C. tropicalis) na superfície de aço inox 304 sofreram ação biocida, quando expostas por 15 segundos a NB7, sendo um potencial sanitizante. / Biofilms provide an environment capable of protecting microbial cells from damage by chemical and physical factors of the immune system, and hinder the penetration of various antimicrobial agents, promoting nosocomial infections related to catheters, increasing mortality and morbidity of patients. Therefore, it is important to ensure proper hygiene to prevent contamination and infections in hospital environments. For this purpose, this study explored the identification of a substance that both detects and have biocide activity against fungal biofilms on stainless steel surfaces. Both nine fluorescent benzimidazole substances, coded NB1 to NB9 and eight imidazolium salts of azo dyes, named denominados C4MImErioCr, C10MImMO, C16MImMO, (C10)2MImMO, C4MImMO, C10MImORANGEII, C16MImORANGEII e (C10)2MImORANGEII were tested as candidates. These substances were tested applying a methodology developed to determine if a substance is able detecting and have biocide activity against fungal biofilms. Overall, this study involved the following methods: (1) Minimum Inhibitory concentration test following the CLSI protocol (M27-A3; the substances were tested against nine fungal strains, including C. tropicalis, C. albicans and C. parapsilosis.), (2) microscopy to determine the marker capacity, (3) spraying tests of the substances on surfaces (stainless steel) with fungal biofilms, (4) tests to verify the capability of the substances to both stain and were biocide against fungal biofilms, applying microscopic techniques and (5) cytotoxicity tests Within the set of seventeen substances, benzimidazole derivative NB7 was identified with the desired capabilities, staining and biocide activity against fungal biofilms at the same time. All tested fungal strains were sensible to this substance. A biocide activity was identified on the biofilms of ATCC 18804 (C. albicans), ATCC 22019 (C. parapsilosis) and ATCC 750 (C .tropicalis), grown on stainless steel 304, when exposed fifteen seconds to substance NB7. Although this substance showed being cytotoxic, it represents a promising candidate for sanitization purposes, including medical tools.

Memoria para optar al Título Profesional de Médico Veterinario / Candida dubliniensis fue descrita por primera vez en el año 1995, como una levadura estrechamente relacionada con Candida albicans. Coloniza normalmente la cavidad oral, tracto respiratorio alto y otros lugares anatómicos. Debido a que la mayoría de las infecciones ocurre en individuos con inmunosupresión se la describe como un patógeno oportunista. A diez años de su descubrimiento varios aspectos de su biología son poco claros, como los mecanismos de resistencia que puede adquirir. Se caracteriza por su capacidad para adquirir resistencia tanto in vivo como in vitro cuando es sometida a tratamientos con antifúngicos. Varios estudios han postulado que esta habilidad podría estar relacionada a un proceso de microevolución El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar la ocurrencia de microevolución in vitro en la levadura C. dubliniensis expuesta a fluconazol (FCZ) y analizar su relación con la aparición de cepas menos susceptibles a este antifúngico. Para ello, se estudió el comportamiento de una cepa de C. dubliniensis, cuyo valor de Concentración Mínima Inhibitoria (CIM) fue 0,5 μg/mL a fluconazol. La cepa fue sometida a un cultivo seriado con concentraciones crecientes de FCZ desde 0,5 a 128 g/mL, tomándose muestra a distintos intervalos de tiempo. Las colonias obtenidas fueron caracterizadas molecularmente por Amplificación Aleatoria del ADN Polimórfico, RAPD (“Randomly Amplified Polymorfic DNA”) y en cada caso se determinó su susceptibilidad a fluconazol mediante microdilución en caldo. C. dubliniensis dio origen a cepas menos susceptibles a fluconazol, cuando fue expuesta al antifúngico. Las cepas menos sensibles presentaron una CIM de 32 g/mL, valor superior al encontrado entre las cepas derivadas del grupo control (CIM=0,125 g/mL). Además, el grupo de cepas menos susceptibles experimentó mayor microevolución, lo que determinó una alta diversidad genética, expresada en la aparición de un número mayor de genotipos (11 genotipos diferentes) respecto al grupo control (6 genotipos), con valores de diversidad genotípica G de 5,00 y 3,76, respectivamente. Estos resultados sugieren una relación entre la adquisición de resistencia y la microevolución en cepas de Candida dubliniensis cultivadas in vitro. Sin embargo, esto debe ser evaluado más extensamente analizando un mayor número de cepas.

Die sekretorischen Aspartatproteasen (Saps) des Hefepilzes Candida albicans gelten als wichtiger Virulenzfaktor dieses opportunistischen Krankheitserregers. Die zehn Sap-Isoenzyme werden von einer Genfamilie codiert, deren Vertreter (SAP1-SAP10) in der Vergangenheit bereits intensiv untersucht wurden. SAP-Expressionsanalysen und die Charakterisierung von sap-Deletionmutanten, die in einem auxotrophen Laborstamm hergestellt wurden, führten aber zu teilweise widersprüchlichen Ergebnissen, weshalb die Rolle der einzelnen Proteine bis heute nicht zweifelsfrei aufgeklärt ist. Eine differentielle Expression der SAP-Gene in unterschiedlichen Stadien einer Infektion wurde jedoch in vielen unabhängigen Studien gezeigt. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde zunächst die Expression der Gene SAP1-SAP6 in einem etablierten in vitro-Modell einer Candida-Vaginitis untersucht, das auf der Infektion von rekonstituiertem humanem Epithel (RHE) basiert. Dazu wurden Reporterstämme verwendet, die bereits früher für Expressionsanalysen in verschiedenen in vivo-Infektionsmodellen in Mäusen eingesetzt worden waren. Dies erlaubte es einerseits unterschiedliche Nachweismethoden zur SAP-Genexpression in einem standardisierten Modell zu vergleichen und andererseits das Expressionsmuster der SAP-Gene in einem in vitro-Infektionsmodell mit den Ergebnissen von in vivo-Infektionsexperimenten zu korrelieren. Es zeigte sich in Übereinstimmung mit Ergebnissen früherer in vivo-Experimente in Mäusen, dass bei der Infektion des vaginalen Gewebes vor allem das SAP5-Gen induziert wurde. Allerdings weicht dieses Ergebnis deutlich von Ergebnissen anderer Studien ab, die mit Hilfe anderer Methoden ein ungleiches Muster der SAP-Expression detektierten. Um die Rolle der Gene SAP1-SAP6 bei der Infektion genauer zu untersuchen, wurden deshalb Mutanten hergestellt, in denen einzelne oder mehrere SAP-Gene mit Hilfe einer neuartigen Mutagenesestrategie erstmals aus dem Genom eines wildtypischen C. albicans-Stammes deletiert wurden. Überraschenderweise konnte sowohl in Einzelmutanten der Gene SAP1-SAP6 als auch in sap1 sap2 sap3- und sap4 sap5 sap6-Triplemutanten keine verminderte Fähigkeit zur Invasion und Schädigung von humanem Gewebe in RHE festgestellt werden. Eine in früheren Arbeiten beschriebene abgeschwächte Virulenz solcher Mutanten konnte auch in einem murinen Modell für eine disseminierende Infektion nicht beobachtet werden. Die Sekretion von Aspartatproteasen ermöglicht es C. albicans Proteine als alleinige Stickstoffquelle zum Wachstum zu verwenden. Unter diesen Bedingungen wird spezifisch die Expression des SAP2-Gens induziert; jedoch ist über die Mechanismen dieser Regulation noch wenig bekannt. Aus diesem Grund wurden in dieser Arbeit Promotor-Deletionsanalysen des SAP2-Gens und des mit diesem co-regulierten Oligopeptidtransportergens OPT1 durchgeführt. Es zeigte sich, dass unterschiedliche Bereiche innerhalb der 3,5 kb großen regulatorischen Region von SAP2 gemeinsam eine Expression dieses Gens unter induzierenden Bedingungen ermöglichen. Für das OPT1-Gen konnte eine regulatorische Region eingegrenzt werden, die für die Expression dieses Gens essentiell ist. In den für die Expression von SAP2 und OPT1 wichtigen Regionen wurden ähnliche Sequenzen gefunden, die als Bindungsstellen für regulatorische Faktoren dienen könnten. In dieser Arbeit wurden neue Erkenntnisse zur Regulation und Bedeutung der sekretierten Aspartatproteasen von C. albicans erhalten. Um eine endgültige Bewertung der Rolle dieser Enzyme in der Virulenz des Erregers zu ermöglichen, sind jedoch noch weitere detaillierte Studien unter Verwendung verschiedenster Infektionsmodelle nötig. / The secreted aspartic proteases (Saps) of the yeast Candida albicans are considered as an important virulence trait of this opportunistic pathogen. The ten Sap isoenzymes are encoded by a gene family, whose members (SAP1-SAP10) have been analysed intensively already in the past. However, the analysis of the expression pattern of the SAP genes and the characterisation of sap deletion mutants, which were generated from an auxotrophic laboratory strain, yielded partially contradictory results. Therefore, the role of the individual proteins is still not fully elucidated. A differential expression of the SAP genes in various stages of an infection has been demonstrated in many independent studies. In the present work the expression of the SAP1-SAP6 genes was analyzed in an established in vitro model of vaginal candidiasis that is based on the infection of reconstituted human epithelium (RHE). For this purpose, reporter strains were used which had already been utilized previously to study the SAP expression pattern in various in vivo infection models in mice. This allowed the comparison of different detection methods for SAP gene expression in a standardized model and also to correlate the SAP expression pattern in an in vitro infection model with the results of in vivo infection experiments. It was found that SAP5 was the predominantly expressed SAP gene during infection of the vaginal tissue, in agreement with the results of previous in vivo experiments in mice. However, this result contrasts with those of other studies that, using alternative methods, detected a different SAP expression pattern. To investigate the role of the SAP1-SAP6 genes during infection in more detail, a new set of mutants was generated, in which single or multiple SAP genes were deleted for the first time from the genome of a C. albicans wild-type strain with the help of a novel mutagenesis strategy. Surprisingly, neither single mutants lacking one the SAP1-SAP6 genes nor triple mutants lacking all of the SAP1-SAP3 or the SAP4-SAP6 genes exhibited a detectable defect in invasion and damage of reconstituted human epithelium. A previously reported attenuated virulence of sap mutants was also not observed in a murine model of disseminated candidiasis. The secretion of aspartic proteases enables C. albicans to utilize proteins as a sole source of nitrogen for growth. Under these conditions expression of the SAP2 gene is specifically induced, however, little is known about the mechanisms of this regulation. Therefore, promoter deletion analyses of the SAP2 gene and the co-regulated oligopeptide transporter gene OPT1 were performed in the present work. It was found that different regions within the approximately 3,5 kb large SAP2 promoter jointly allowed the expression of this gene under inducing conditions. For OPT1, a region could be delimited that is essential for the expression of this gene. The regions that were found to be important for SAP2 and OPT1 expression contain similar sequences, which may serve as binding sites for regulatory factors. This study provides new insights into the regulation and importance of the secreted aspartic proteases of C. albicans. For a definite evaluation of the role of these enzymes in the virulence of the pathogen, however, further detailed studies that employ a variety of different infection models are necessary.

A terapia fotodinâmica, do inglês photodynamic therapy (PDT) é uma fototerapia baseada na utilização de um fotossensibilizador (FS) na presença da luz em baixa intensidade em comprimento de onda ressonante à absorção do FS e que podem sensibilizar sistemas biológicos, gerando espécies reativas de oxigênio. Estudos mostram que a PDT apresenta um efeito letal em Candida albicans. O biofilme formado por C. albicans é a causa mais freqüente de infecções associadas a cateteres, possuindo uma comprovada resistência a antifúngicos, sendo que a remoção do cateter colonizado é quase sempre necessária. No entanto, poucos trabalhos na literatura relatam o comportamento e a resposta de C. albicans organizado em biofilme frente à PDT. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram desenvolver uma metodologia para formação in vitro de biofilme de C. albicans, verificar a sensibilidade do biofilme de C. albicans frente à terapia fotodinâmica antimicrobiana utilizando como FS o azul de metileno (AM) e a hipocrelina B:La+3 e analisar o biofilme através da Tomografia de Coerência Óptica (OCT) antes e depois da PDT. Para a formação do biofilme, foram confeccionados discos de silicone elastomérico oriundos de cateteres. Os fotossensibilizadores foram diluídos em solução de PBS, sendo que o AM teve duas concentrações diferentes testadas no biofilme: 100M e 1mM e a HBLa+3 somente uma de 10M. A irradiação de ambos os corantes com os microrganismos foi feita através de dois LEDs diferentes, um vermelho com = 630nm ± 20nm e outro azul com = 460nm ± 30nm. Foi realizada uma curva de fração de sobrevivência em função do tempo de irradiação de cada amostra com biofilme e de suspensão do microrganismo em formato de leveduras para verificar a susceptibilidade destes frente à PDT. As leveduras apresentaram 100% de redução em ambos os fotossensibilizadores, porém em tempos de irradiação diferentes (30s para a HBLa+3 e 6 min para o AM na concentração de 100M). Quando a terapia foi aplicada em biofilme, o AM em 100M não apresentou nenhuma redução significativa, enquanto que em concentração de 1mM houve redução de 100% após 6 min de irradiação. Já a HBLa+3 mostrou pouca redução em biofilme na concentração de 10M (menos de 1 log de redução. Concluímos que o microrganismo C. albicans se organizou em biofilme padronizado nos discos elastoméricos oriundos de cateteres e através do OCT, o biofilme medido apresentou 110m de espessura, informando uma mudança óptica ao ser submetido pela PDT com o AM 1mM. / Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a phototherapy based on the use of a photosensitizer (PS) in the presence of low intensity light with resonant wavelength of absorption of the PS and biological systems that can raise awareness, generating reactive oxygen species. Studies show that PDT has a lethal effect on Candida albicans. The biofilm formed by C. albicans is the cause of infections associated with medical devices such as catheters, with a proven resistance to antifungal agents, and the removal of the catheter colonized almost always is necessary. However, few studies in literature report the behavior and response of biofilm organized by C. albicans against PDT. The aims of this study were to develop a methodology for in vitro biofilm formation of C. albicans, evaluate the sensitivity of the biofilm of C. albicans to antimicrobial photodynamic therapy using PS as the methylene blue (MB) and hypocrellin B: La+3 (HBLa+3) and analyze the biofilm by Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). For biofilm formation, discs were made from elastomeric silicone catheters. The PS were dissolved in solution of PBS, and the MB had two different concentrations tested in the biofilm: 100M and 1mM; HBLa+3 only one of 10M. The irradiation of both dyes with the microorganism was done by two different LEDs, one with red emission at = 630nm ± 20nm and the other one blue emission at = 460nm ± 30nm. We performed a curve of survival fraction versus time of irradiation of each sample with biofilm and suspension of the microorganism in the yeast form to verify the susceptibility of the front PDT. The yeast showed 100% reduction using both PS, but at different times of irradiation (30s to HBLa+3 and 6 min for the MB at 100M). When the therapy was applied in biofilm, the MB 100M did not show any significant reduction, while at concentration of 1mM was reduced by 100% after 6 min of irradiation. The HBLa+3 biofilm group showed a lower reduction in the concentration of 10M in biofilm (less than 1 log reduction). OCT was performed for visualization and measurement of the thickness of the biofilm formed. The composition of the extracellular matrix of the biofilm polymer hindered the diffusion of PS inside, requiring higher concentrations of MB to disseminate it and to obtain satisfactory reduction for PDT. HBLa+3 group, in higher concentration, formed aggregates difficulting its use for PDT. We conclude that the organism C. albicans was organized in biofilms in a standardized way using elastomeric discs from catheters and the OCT showed that the biofilm measured 110m at thickness, showing an optical change when subjected to the PDT with MB 1mM.

Existem poucos estudos a respeito da presença de constituintes fúngicos na circulação sanguínea de indivíduos com estomatite por dentadura (ED) (AHMAD et al., 2002), considerada uma forma localizada de candidose; o que poderia caracterizar o poder de invasão sistêmica do fungo nesta condição local, bem como um prévio reconhecimento desses antígenos por células presentes na circulação sanguínea do hospedeiro, o que poderia explicar aspectos específicos da resposta imune localizada e sistêmica. Assim sendo, este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a presença do fungo Candida albicans (C. albicans) no palato, na superfície interna das próteses totais superiores e no sangue de pacientes com ED, em dois momentos distintos. A população de estudo foi composta por indivíduos usuários de prótese total superior (PTS), com e sem estomatite por dentadura, avaliados e selecionados nas clínicas de graduação e pós-graduação da Disciplina de Prótese, do Departamento de Prótese, da Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru da Universidade de São Paulo (FOB USP). Indivíduos não usuários de próteses removíveis constituíram o grupo controle. Assim o trabalho foi constituído por três grupos, cada um com 14 pacientes. As lesões de estomatite por dentadura foram diagnosticadas clinicamente e por meio de confirmação microbiológica em CHROMAgar Candida, a partir de material biológico coletado da mucosa palatal e da superfície interna da PTS. A PCR foi realizada quando da ocorrência do crescimento de colônias verdes para diferenciação das espécies C. albicans e C. dubliniensis. As amostras de sangue foram analisadas para a detecção de fragmentos de DNA responsáveis pela codificação da proteína da parede da hifa1(Hwp1) de C. albicans, utilizando a técnica da PCR. Os resultados demonstraram que nem os usuários de PTS, independentemente da presença de ED, nem os voluntários não usuários apresentaram a proteína Hwp1 no sangue, em nenhuma das amostras coletadas. A presença de fungos do gênero Candida foi mais frequente (p 0,005) entre os usuários de PTS com ED quando comparado com os outros indivíduos. Além disso, pudemos constatar que os pacientes com diagnóstico clínico e microbiológico de ED não apresentaram distribuição sanguínea de C. albicans. / There are few studies about the presence of yeast constituents in the bloodstream of patients with denture stomatitis (DE), a localizated kind of candidiasis; what could characterize the yeast systemic invasion power in this local condidition, and also previous acknowledgement of these antigens by cells of the entertainer bloodstream, and explain specific features of the immune located and systemic answer. So being, this work had as a goal to evaluate the presence of the yeast Candida albicans (C. albicans) at the palate, at the internal surface of the upper denture and in the blood of patients with DE, at two different moments. The population of study was composed by individuals both with and without upper denture, with and without stomatitis, assessed and selected in the clinics of graduation and postgraduation of the Discipline of Prosthesis, of the Department of Prosthesis, of the Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru of the University of São Paulo (FOB USP). Individuals who are not users of removable dentures constituted the group control. So the work was constituted by three groups, each one with 14 patients. The injuries of stomatitis were diagnosed clinically and through microbiological confirmation in CHROMAgar Candida, from biological collected material of the palatal mucosa and of the internal surface of the upper denture. The PCR was carried out when the growth of green colonies for differentiation of the stain C. albicans and C. dubliniensis happened. The samples of blood were analyzed for the detection of fragments of DNA responsible for the codification of the hyphal wall protein (Hwp1) of C. albicans. The results demonstrated that not even the users of upper denture, independently of the presence of the DE, not even the volunteers who are not users presented the protein Hwp1 in the blood, in none of the collected samples. The yeast Candida presence was more frequent (p 0,005) in the group 1 when compared with the other groups. Morever, we can conclude that patients with clinic and microbiologic diagnostic have not presented bloodstream distribution of C. albicans.

Por muitos anos o fluconazol tem sido uma opção usual para tratamento de infecções por Candida. Entretanto, o uso indiscriminado desta terapia antimicótica tem favorecido o surgimento de microrganismos resistentes. A redução da afinidade da enzima alvo dos antifúngicos, 14--demetilase (ERG11p), tem sido descrita como um importante mecanismo de resistência, caracterizado por mutações em seu gene codificante ERG11. Neste estudo, foi investigada a suscetibilidade ao fluconazol de 87 isolados de C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. krusei e C. glabrata, com valores de MIC determinados através do método de microdiluição em caldo M27-A3 (CLSI, 2008); verificou-se que dezessete isolados apresentavam decréscimo da suscetibilidade ao fluconazol. A triagem de mutações foi realizada através da amplificação de quatro regiões do gene ERG11 com primers específicos delineados neste estudo, para cada espécie de Candida, seguida de análise pela técnica de eletroforese SSCP e seqüenciamento automatizado. Foram identificadas 217 mutações, incluindo 185 silenciosas e 32 por troca de sentido (que altera o aminoácido resultante). Estas últimas foram observadas em 19 isolados e 17 resíduos distintos, sendo 7 deles ainda não descritos anteriormente: L321F em C. albicans; K53M em C. krusei; Y221F, K344T, V362M e R371S em C. tropicalis; e R398I em C. parapsilosis. Confrontando os resultados entre a técnica de eletroforese SSCP e seqüenciamento automatizado, não houve associação direta entre as mudanças na migração eletroforética e alterações na seqüência nucleotídica do gene ERG11. Sugerimos que a freqüência elevada de alterações no gene ERG11 de Candida deve ser considerada no design de novos fármacos que visem a enzima ERG11p / For many years, fluconazole has been a usual option for treatment of Candida infections. However, the indiscriminate use of antimycotic therapy has favored the emergence of resistant organisms. The decrease in the affinity of the enzyme target of antifungal agents, 14--demethylase (ERG11p), has been described as an important mechanism of resistance, characterized by mutations in its encoding gene ERG11. In this study, we investigated the susceptibility to fluconazole of 87 strains of C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. krusei and C. glabrata with MIC values determined by broth microdilution M27-A3 (CLSI, 2008), found that seventeen isolates showed decreased susceptibility to fluconazole. Mutation screening was performed by the amplification of four regions of the ERG11 gene with specific primers designed in this study for each Candida species, followed by electrophoresis SSCP analysis and sequencing. We identified 217 mutations, including 185 silent mutations and 32 missense mutations. Missense mutations were observed in 19 isolates and 17 distinct residues, 7 of them still not described earlier: L321F in C. albicans, K53M in C. krusei; Y221F, K344T, V362M and R371S in C. tropicalis, and R398I in C. parapsilosis. Comparing the results between SSCP electrophoresis technique and sequencing, there was no direct association between changes in electrophoretic migration and changes in the nucleotide sequence of the ERG11 gene. We suggest that the high frequency of changes in ERG11 gene of Candida should be considered in the design of new drugs targeting the enzyme ERG11p