Antifungal recombinant psoriasin of human origin effectively inhibits fungal growth on denture base.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of recombinant psoriasin as a novel treatment for oral candidiasis by eliminating Candida albicans growth on polymethyl methacrylate denture base.

Materials and methods: Recombinant psoriasin protein was expressed and purified from E. coli, and Candida growth was monitored in vitro with varying concentrations of psoriasin. Subsequently, denture-base polymethyl methacrylate was immersed in psoriasin's solution or voriconazole, and fungal growth on the acrylic base and in the medium was examined by scanning electron microscopy and optical density, respectively. Cellular viability of HeLa and human gingival fibroblast cells treated with psoriasin was measured by methylene blue assay.

Results: The findings reveal an effective antifungal activity of psoriasin, completely inhibiting Candida albicans growth in RPMI at a protein concentration above 400 nM. Immersing the polymethyl methacrylate with 50 μM psoriasin completely eradicates fungal growth. Psoriasin has low cytotoxicity in HeLa cells at a concentration higher than 12 μM and no toxic effect on human gingival fibroblasts.

Conclusions: This study marks psoriasin as an effective alternative to conventional antifungal treatments for denture stomatitis and a safe alternative to chemical antifungals in dental medicine and beyond.