The effect of synergistic treatment of vitamin C and low temperature plasma on candidiasis induced in reconstituted oral mucosa

• Grant number: 22/04598-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Effective date (Start): October 01, 2022
• Effective date (End): May 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry
• Principal Investigator: Cristiane Yumi Koga Ito
• Grantee: Noala Vicensoto Moreira Milhan
• Supervisor: Angela Bruzzaniti
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia (ICT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José dos Campos. São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 21/00046-7 - Association of L-ascorbic acid and cold atmospheric pressure plasma in the treatment of oral candidiasis: in vitro and in vivo evaluation, BP.PD

Abstract

Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungus that may cause disease in the presence of predisposing factors, leading to local or invasive candidiasis. The aim of this study is to evaluate if the pretreatment with vitamin C could improve the antifungal effect of low temperature plasma (LTP) against C. albicans, which could lead to reduced LTP exposure time. For this, a reconstituted oral tissue, suitable for the study of oral candidiasis, will be infected with two kind of C. albicans strains (ATCC 18804) and wild-type strain (CAF2-1). Posteriorly, a pre-treatment with vitamin C for 15 min will be performed followed by LTP exposure. To rule out toxicity, a cytotoxicity test will be conducted. The effect of the treatment on tissue invasion and damage will be analyzed histopathologically. To identify actively proliferating cells and apoptotic ones, immunohistochemistry assay will be performed using the markers ki-67 and TUNEL, respectively. Additionally, the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1B, CXCL8 and TNF-± released in the medium will be measured by ELISA test. Data will be analyzed using the most appropriate statistical test, according to the data distribution. A significance level of 5% will be adopted. (AU)