Echinocandin Treatment of Candida albicans Biofilms Enhances Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Formation

Abstract

The nosocomial pathogen Candida albicans forms biofilms on medical devices that persist in the face of antifungals and host defenses. Echinocandins, the most effective antibiofilm drugs, have recently been shown to augment the activity of neutrophils against biofilms through an unknown mechanism. Here, we show that treatment of C. albicans biofilms with subinhibitory concentrations of echinocandins promotes the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), structures of DNA, histones, and antimicrobial proteins with antifungal activity.

Keywords: Candida; antifungal; biofilm; echinocandin; glucan; neutrophil; neutrophil extracellular trap.