title: Adhesion of Candida albicans to various dental implant surfaces and the influence of salivary pellicle proteins.
abstract: Dental implants may be considered a potential reservoir for (re)infection with oral Candida albicans. Our aim was to evaluate initial fungal adhesion to three differentially textured titanium and one zirconia implant surface, and to correlate these findings to differences in specific surface characteristics (surface roughness (R(a)) and surface free energy (SFE)). Additionally, we investigated the influence of salivary protein films and two pellicle proteins (mucin and albumin). Implant surfaces were characterized by perthometer (R(a)) and goniometer (SFE) measurements. Implant specimens were rinsed with human whole saliva, mucin, albumin, or phosphate buffered saline and incubated in C. albicans suspension for 2.5h. Adherent fungi were quantified by means of a bioluminometric assay. The lowest amount of fungal cells was found on sand-blasted titanium, whereas zirconia implants did not show any reduced potential to adhere C. albicans. The influence of the implant SFE on fungal biofilm formation appears to be more important than the influence of R(a). The protein mucin enhanced C. albicans accumulation. In contrast, albumin is unlikely to be involved in the adhesion process of C. albicans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, University Medical Center Regensburg, 93042 Regensburg, Germany. ralf.buergers@klinik.uni-regensburg.de
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bürgers
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hahnel
authors.forename: Torsten E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Reichert
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosentritt
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Behr
authors.forename: Till
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gerlach
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Handel
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gosau
mesh_terms: D000418:Albumins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015921:Dental Implants / Q000382:microbiology*; D044622:Dental Pellicle / Q000737:chemistry*; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006801:Humans; D009077:Mucins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D015921:Dental Implants; D009077:Mucins