Effect of Photodynamic Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (PACT) on C. albicans: analyses of biofilm viability by C. albicans

• Grant number: 14/13679-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2015
• End date: March 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Biomedical Engineering - Medical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Maricilia Silva Costa
• Grantee: Ana Paula Pinto
• Host Institution: Instituto de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento (IP&D). Universidade do Vale do Paraíba (UNIVAP). São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal able to produces both superficial and systemic infections in immunocompromised patients. It has been demonstrated that biofilms produced by C. albicans are resistant to different antifungal drugs and, that, the infections related to biofilm formation are, frequently, refractory to conventional treatment. Therefore, the development of more effective antifungal therapies, especially against infections associated to biofilm becomes vital. Photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT) is a potential antimicrobial therapy, which combines visible light and a nontoxic dye, known as a photosensitizer, producing reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can kill the treated cells. The photodynamic effects of different photosensitizer drugs on the pathogen Candida albicans has been demonstrated and the potential of PACT to promote microbial eradication is progressively more accepted. Thus, the objective of this project is to study the effect of PACT on biofilm formation by Candida albicans in different stages of development.