Effect of serum and surface characteristics on Candida albicans biofilm formation

Candida spp. biofilms can be established on a wide range of materials, including implanted medical devices, and can display a resistant phenotype to antifungal drugs. Several factors, including host and surface properties, may influence the establishment and the development of Candida albicans biofilms on biotic and abiotic surfaces. We therefore selected a collection of C. albicans clinical isolates to evaluate the effect of surface and serum on biofilm attachment and development. Disc coupons from the CDC biofilm reactor were used in a well plate assay to study biofilm production on six different surfaces with or without the addition of serum: polycarbonate, polystyrene, stainless steel, Teflon, polyvinyl chloride or hydroxyapatite. Our results showed that serum increases in vitro C. albicans biofilm formation on a wide range of distinct surfaces including metallic and non-metallic materials, and that roughness and hydrophobicity can modulate C. albicans biofilm formation. These findings were also confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and it revealed the deposition of extracellular material on hyphae attached to a solid surface. Interestingly, adhesion can be significantly increased in the early stages of colonisation when serum is provided as a conditioning film in a surface-dependent manner.