An intestinal model for monomicrobial and polymicrobial biofilms and effects of hydrolases and the Bgl2 ligand.

BACKGROUND AND AIM

is the most prevalent human fungal pathogen. In biofilms, becomes more resistant to antifungal agents because of the production of an extracellular matrix (ECM) that protects the yeast cells. This study aimed to determine the effects of hydrolase enzymes and the Bgl2 ligand on monomicrobial and polymicrobial biofilms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Biofilm induction in rats was carried out using streptomycin (25 mg/kg) and gentamicin (7.5 mg/kg) administered orally once per day for 5 days. Rats were injected subcutaneously with cortisone acetate (225 mg/kg) as an immunosuppressant on day 5. In addition, rats were orally administered for the single microbial model and a combination of with for the polymicrobial model. Following the biofilm production, the groups were treated with glucosamine (8.57 mg/kg body weight) and hydrolases (1.5 mL) orally for 2 weeks. The reduction of the biofilm was measured using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Data were analyzed using a t-test, with a significance value of 95%.

RESULTS

CLSM images revealed a strong association between and in the polymicrobial biofilm. On the contrary, the combination treatment using glucosamine and hydrolases reduced the ECM of the single microbial biofilm (53.58%). However, treatment effectiveness against the matrix (19.17%) was reduced in the polymicrobial model.

CONCLUSION

There is a strong association between and in the formation of polymicrobial biofilms. The combination of glucosamine and the enzyme can reduce the single microbial biofilm ECM; however, it is ineffective in the polymicrobial model.