Work

Mono‐ and Co‐Culture Biofilms of Candida auris or Candida albicans With Staphylococcus aureus Regulate Cell Viability and Pro‐Inflammatory Cytokine Expression Differently in Oral Cancer Cell Lines

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Candida species and Staphylococcus aureus are nosocomial pathogens associated with immunocompromised individuals, especially oral cancer patients. This study elucidates the effects of mono- and co-culture biofilms of Candida albicans , Candida auris and S. aureus on cell viability and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in healthy epithelial cells (hTERT TIGKs) and oral cancer (ORL-48) cell lines. METHODS: Mono- and co-culture biofilms of C. albicans , C. auris and S. aureus , developed using static biofilm for 72 h, were collected and filter sterilized (biofilm filtrate). Test cell growth medium (TCGM) was prepared for hTERT TIGKs and ORL-48 by mixing 20% (v/v) biofilm filtrate with 80% serum-free media. The cells were seeded in 96-well plates, and TCGM was added as treatment. The unstimulated media (UM), made of 100% serum-free media, served as control. After 24 h, cell viability was assessed using CCK-8. Interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 expression was analysed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: S. aureus consistently decreased cell vitality in co-culture as compared to mono-culture, C. albicans and C. auris in both cell lines. Co-culture of C. auris and S. aureus in cancer cells demonstrated significantly higher IL-6 and IL-8 expression than C. albicans (p < 0.05). Furthermore, co-culturing C. auris or C. albicans with S. aureus increases pro-inflammatory IL-8 expression in oral cancer cell lines compared to mono-cultures of respective Candida. CONCLUSION: Co-culturing C. auris or C. albicans with S. aureus reduced cell viability and increased pro-inflammatory IL-8 expression in oral cancer cell lines, suggesting that interkingdom interaction may regulate oral carcinogenesis.

Source: Journal of Oral Pathology and Medicine

DOI: 10.1111/jop.70043