Antifungal activity against Candida biofilms

Abstract

Candida species have two distinct lifestyles: planktonic, and surface-attached communities called biofilms. Mature C. albicans biofilms show a complex three-dimensional architecture with extensive spatial heterogeneity, and consist of a dense network of yeast, hyphae, and pseudohyphae encased

within a matrix of exopolymeric material. Several key processes are likely to play vital roles at the dif- ferent stages of biofilm development, such as cell-substrate and cell-cell adherence, hyphal devel- opment, and quorum sensing. Biofilm formation is a survival strategy, since biofilm yeasts are more

resistant to antifungals and environmental stress. Antifungal resistance is a multifactorial process that includes multidrug efflux pumps, target proteins of the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway. Most studies agree in presenting azoles as agents with poor activity against Candida spp. biofilms. However, recent studies have demonstrated that echinocandins and amphotericin B exhibit remarkable activity against

C. albicans and Candida non-albicans biofilms. The association of Candida species with biofilm for- mation increases the therapeutic complexity of foreign body-related yeast infections. The traditional

approach to the management of these infections has been to explant the affected device. There is a

strong medical but also economical motivation for the development of novel anti-fungal biofilm strate- gies due to the constantly increasing resistance of Candida biofilms to conventional antifungals, and

the high mortality caused by related infections. A better description of the extent and role of yeast in biofilms may be critical for developing novel therapeutic strategies in the clinical setting.