Impact of Brief Exposure to Lysozyme and Lactoferrin on Pathogenic Attributes of Oral Candida

• Published in: International dental journal Vol. 74; no. 5; pp. 1161 - 1167
• Main Authors: Ellepola, Arjuna Nishantha Bandara, Khan, Zia Uddin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Inc 01.10.2024
• Subjects: Adhesion; Antifungal Agents - pharmacology; Candida - drug effects; Candida albicans; Candida albicans - drug effects; Candida dubliniensis; Candidiasis, Oral - drug therapy; Candidiasis, Oral - microbiology; Cell Adhesion - drug effects; Epithelial Cells - drug effects; Epithelial Cells - microbiology; Haemolysin; Hemolysin Proteins - pharmacology; Humans; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Lactoferrin - pharmacology; Lactoferrin and lysozyme; Mouth Mucosa - cytology; Mouth Mucosa - microbiology; Muramidase - pharmacology; Candida albicans; Lactoferrin and lysozyme; Haemolysin; Adhesion; Candida dubliniensis
• ISSN: 0020-6539; 1875-595X; 1875-595X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.identj.2024.04.003

Adhesion to buccal epithelial cells (BEC) and denture acrylic surfaces (DAS), germ tube (GT) formation, cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH), and haemolysin production are attributes associated with pathogenicity of Candida. Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis are allied in causing oral candidosis. Lysozyme and lactoferrin exert antimicrobial activity on a range of oral microorganisms, including Candida. There is no information on the impact of brief exposure to lysozyme and lactoferrin on adhesion-related attributes and haemolysin production of aforementioned oral Candida isolates. Thus, we investigated the impact of lysozyme and lactoferrin on adhesion to BEC and DAS, GT formation, CSH, and haemolysin production of these isolates. After exposure to lysozyme and lactoferrin for 1 hour, susceptibility to lysozyme and lactoferrin of 20 isolates each of C albicans and C dubliniensis isolates was determined following a 48-hour period of incubation. Candida cell suspensions, obtained from colony-forming units after this period, were assessed for adhesion to BEC and DAS, GT formation, CSH, and haemolysin production using in vitro assays. Exposure to lysozyme and lactoferrin significantly suppressed the ability of C albicans and C dubliniensis isolates to adhere to BEC and DAS, GT formation, CSH, and haemolysin production (P < 0.01 for all virulent attributes tested). These data provide a tantalising glimpse into the possibility that exposure to either lysozyme or lactoferrin, even for a brief period, would induce a sustainable antifungal effect by suppressing adhesion-related attributes and haemolysin production of these oral Candida species in vitro. Resistance to conventional antifungal agents has been reported in clinical isolates of Candida. The presence of such resistance indicates the need for possible alternative therapies to facilitate the management of oral candidosis. Further research on the pharmacodynamics of lysozyme and lactoferrin and their effects on candidal pathogenic attributes should be fostered, with the vision of developing novel topical antifungal drugs.