Influence of Cell Surface Hydrophobicity on Adhesion and Biofilm Formation in Candida albicans and Several Bacterial Species

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to investigate the correlation of cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) and biofilm formation or adhesion in Candida albicans (C. albicans) and several pathogenic bacteria. All of C. albicans (n=82) and 7 bacterial species (Escherichia coli, n=25; Klebsiella pneumoniae, n=33; Morganella morganii, n=21; Proteus mirabilis, n=33; Proteus vulgaris, n=12; Pseudomonas aeruginosa, n=31; Staphylococcus aureus, n=31) were isolated clinically. CSH was quantified with microbial adhesion to hydrocarbons. Biofilm formation was determined by tetrazolium salt reduction assay. Adhesion assay was performed by counting colonies after culture the microbes adhered to HeLa cells. Although high CSH-expressing bacterial species showed greater adherence to HeLa cells and larger amounts of biofilm formation on polystyrene, the significant relationships within same species were not shown. In C. albicans, however, strong positive correlations were observed between CSH and biofilm formation (r =0.708; p < 0.05) or cell adhesion (r =0.509; p < 0.05). These results suggest that hydrophobic force of bacteria may play a minor role in adhesion and biofilm formation, but CSH of C. albicans may be an important factor for adherence on surface and biofilm forming process.