Electropermeabilization effect of nanoelectropulse on Candida albicans: An in vitro study

Abstract

Candida albicans is an opportunistic human fungal pathogen t hat normally resides in the digestive system. The Candida albicans cell wall is composed of mannoprotein, β-Glucan and chitin. To explore the antitumor activity of components produced by Candida albicans, nanoelectropulse was introduced in t his study. Candida albicans viability after nanoelectropulse exposure were assessed by colony-forming unit (CFU) assay and fluorescence microscope. Morphological changes of Can dida albicans were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Also, the total nitric oxide concentration after nanoelectropulse exposure were estimated by the total nitric oxide assay Kit. Finally, the antitumor activity of Candida albicans components were investigated by CCK-8 assay and Annexin V-FITC/PI apoptosis assay in Hela and Cal-27 cancer cell line s. Results suggested that there is a window effect of nanoelectropulse on Candida albicans. High field strength (40kV/cm, 100 pulses) of nanoelectropulse has an electropermeabilizatio n effect on Candida albicans. Additionally, Candida albicans components isolated from 40kV/cm, 100 pulses exhibited good antitumor activity against Hela and Cal-27 cancer cell line s. More importantly, our results revealed that nanoectropulse can significantly affects the Candida albicans to get β-Glucan and Nitric Oxide. Undoubtedly, β-Glucan and Nitric Oxide play an important role in anticancer activity. This is a proof-of-concept study, and provides the first evidence of the nanoectropulse might take Candida albicans for further potential deve lopment as a valuable therapeutic option for cancer patients.