The association of DNase I with antimicrobial photodynamic therapy affects Candida albicans gene expression and promotes immunomodulatory effects in mice with candidiasis

This study evaluated Candida albicans gene expression and local inflammatory response from mice with oral candidiasis that were treated with DNase I plus antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT). DNase I was applied, followed by aPDT mediated by Photodithazine® and LED light, singly or combined for five consecutive days. A group was only inoculated with fluconazole-susceptible (CaS) or—resistant (CaR) C. albicans strains. Immediately and 7 days after treatments, C. albicans colonies recovered from mice tongues were used for gene expression evaluation. Tongues from mice killed 24 h and 7 days after treatments were used to evaluate the host’s inflammatory cytokines using cytometric bead array. A reduction occurred in the gene expression related to adhesion to the host substrate, the biofilm extracellular matrix, and oxidative stress of CaS and CaR recovered from mice treated with DNAse I plus aPDT. Increased production of IL-6, TNF-α, and MCP-1 occurred in mice infected with CaS but not as much for those infected with CaR in the groups treated with DNase I plus aPDT and aPDT. DNase I plus aPDT decreased the expression of the fungal genes evaluated and increased local inflammatory response, which helped to fight the infection.Graphical abstract