title: Evaluation of UVB light efficacy for inducing apoptosis in Candida albicans cultures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Candida albicans is known as part of human's skin normal flora; but simultaneously, is the most common opportunistic fungal pathogen of human which can cause a variety of infections including cutaneous candidiasis. Because of the importance of superficial infections like cutaneous candidiasis, we tried to use Ultraviolet B light as a method of phototherapy for inducing apoptosis in irradiated colonies of Candida albicans.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Ultraviolet B with the wavelength of 302 nanometer was used for irradiating the colonies of Candida albicans. For detecting the eventual apoptotic reactions, the DNA of irradiated colonies as well as control colonies were extracted and then were run in 1% agarose gel electrophoresis containing ethidium bromide to observe luminescent DNA bands.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Despite irradiating of Ultraviolet B to yeast cells, no abnormalities including DNA laddering bands or smears were detected in bands formed by total genomic DNA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The applied irradiation protocol in this investigation was not successful to induce apoptotic reactions in Ultraviolet-exposed colonies. Maybe, Heat shock proteins as the important part of fungal protein pool, inhibit the inducing pathway of apoptosis in irradiated colonies of Candida albicans.
authors: Microbiology Department, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Shahr-e-Qods Branch, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Payam
authors: P
authors: Behzadi
authors: Elham
authors: E
authors: Behzadi
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004249:DNA Damage; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays