Abstract

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the ability of oral Candida albicans strains to adhere to Caco-2 and Hep-2 epithelial cells, to produce slime using Congo red and Safranin methods and to form a biofilm on polymethylmethacrylate. A total of 20 C. albicans strains were tested in the present work. The biofilm formed by C. albicans isolates on acrylic denture was measuredin vitro using the colorimetric method based on the reduction of the tetrazolium salt (XTT) and dry weight measurement. Our results showed that oral C. albicansstrains were able to adhere to epithelial cell lines and biomaterials with different degree. In fact, more than 61% of the tested strains were adhesive to Hep-2 and 83% to Caco-2 cells. Strong slime production after safranin stain was found in 40% of strains. Slime producer C. albicans strains (16 strains) tested by safranin staining method were highly adhesive to Hep-2 (62.5%) and Caco-2 (87.5%) monolayers and biofilm formed on polystyrene and poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA) surfaces (100%, respectively).

Key words: Candida albicans, biofilm, polymethylmethacrylate, Hep-2, Caco-2 cells, slime production.

Abbreviation

CSH, Cell surface hydrophobicity; YPD, yeast peptone dextrose;YNB, yeast nitrogen base; PBS, phosphate buffered saline; MEM, minimum essential medium; NA, non adhesive; W, weak adhesion; M, medium adhesion; S,strong adhesion; MIC, minimum inhibitory concentration.