Objectives: Oral candidiasis and dental caries are the most common oral lesions seen in HIV-infected children presenting as etiology agents mainly the
Candida albicans (Ca) and
Streptococcus mutans (Sm), respectively. Most of microorganisms attached to surfaces in the form of biofilms. The aim of the present study was evaluated the Ca and Sm biofilm formation in a presence of peptidase and phosphatase inhibitors. Methods: Standardized systems of cells suspensions with 10
5 cells/ml of Ca and Sm and inhibitors of serine peptidase (PMSF and aprotinin) or acid phosphatases (sodium fluoride) were applied to the surface of each sterile polycarbonate membrane filters (diameter, 13 mm; pore size 0.44 µm; Millipore) that were resting on agar BHI culture medium in Petri dishes for 72 h at 37
o in anaerobic condition. After growth of the biofilms, the membranes were immerged in saline for 27 min and then rinsed carefully twice in fresh sterile saline to remove nonadherence cells. The microorganisms were extracted from the polycarbonate matrix by vortexing the disks in 1 ml of sterile saline for 20 s. Vortex-extracted cells were then inoculated into different solid media BHI and Mitis Salivarius with bacitracim. Results: The complexity of biofilm formation was evaluated by counting the number of colony forming units (CFU) after 24 h at 37
o and by SEM analysis. An artificial biofilm formation (710.0±48.08 CFU Ca; 792.0±73.54 CFU Sm) was reduced (p<0.001 Mann-Whitney) after treatment of Ca and Sm with PMSF and aprotinin (164.5±13.44 CFU Ca; 196.0±45.25 CFU Sm), a serine peptidase inhibitors, and by sodium fluoride (52.50±9.19 CFU Ca; 30.0±8.49 CFU Sm), a classical inhibitor of acid phosphatase activity. Conclusion: The results suggested that these inhibitors of serine peptidase and acid phosphatase activities could be used as a potent adjunct to antifungal therapy for oral candidiasis.
Financial support: CNPq and FAPERJ/Brazil.