Magnetic Nanoparticles for Controlling in vitro Fungal Biofilms

Our aim was to investigate the influence of magnetic nanoparticles of Fe3O4/oleic acid - core/shell on the adherence to cellular and inert substrata of clinical fungal using direct and inverted optic microscopy and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM). The biofilm development ability varied with the tested species (C. albicans>C. tropicalis>C. glabrata>S. cerevisiae>C. krusei>C. famata), its intensity being correlated with early germ tubes production. The magnetite nanoparticles strongly inhibited the mature biofilms development (of 48 and 72 hours) as well as the fungal adherence to the cellular substratum, suggesting that magnetic nanoparticles could be used for obtaining new materials with anti-adherence properties.