title: Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy in rat experimental candidiasis: evaluation of pathogenicity factors of Candida albicans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the effects of photodynamic therapy on pathogenicity of Candida albicans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-six rats were submitted to development of candidiasis on the tongue dorsum by C. albicans inoculations. After 5 days, different treatments were administered: laser and photosynthesizer methylene blue (L+P+); laser only (L+P-); photosensitizer only (L-P+); and physiologic solution only (L-P-). Samples of the oral cavity were collected for a count of colony-forming units per mL. Colonies were isolated for evaluation of proteinase and phospholipase activities. The rats were killed for microscopic analysis of the tongue dorsum. The data were analyzed by analysis of variance, Kruskal-Wallis, and Bonferroni tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of C. albicans recovered from the oral cavity of the rats was similar between the groups (P = .106). The L+P+ group showed fewer microscopic lesions of candidiasis than the L-P- group (P = .001). The L+P+ group presented lower proteinase activity compared with the other groups, with significant difference between the groups L+P+ and L-P+ (P = .018).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Photodynamic therapy reduced the microscopic lesions of experimental candidiasis in rats and inhibited the proteinase activity of C. albicans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, School of Dentistry of São José dos Campos, São Paulo State University-UNESP, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Joyce da Silva
authors.initials: Jda S
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Juliana Campos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Junqueira
authors.forename: Raquel Lourdes
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Faria
authors.forename: Naiara Fonseca
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Santiago
authors.forename: Rodnei Dennis
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Rossoni
authors.forename: Carlos Eduardo Dias
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: Antonio Olavo Cardoso
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Jorge
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002180:Candidiasis, Oral / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D054023:Lasers, Semiconductor; D008297:Male; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000494:pharmacology; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D010740:Phospholipases / Q000378:metabolism; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014059:Tongue / Q000382:microbiology*; D014774:Virulence / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D010740:Phospholipases; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D008751:Methylene Blue