Complex magnetic fields represent an eco-sustainable technology to counteract the resistant Candida albicans growth without affecting the human gingival fibroblasts

Abstract

Novel technologies such as complex magnetic fields—CMFs represent an eco-sustainable proposal to counteract the infection associated to resistant microorganisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two CMF programs (STRESS, ANTIBACTERIAL) against clinical antifungal resistant C. albicans also evaluating their uneffectiveness on gingival fibroblasts (hGFs). The STRESS program was more efficacious on C. albicans biofilm with up to 64.37% ± 10.80 of biomass and up to 99.19% ± 0.06 CFU/ml reductions in respect to the control also inducing an alteration of lipidic structure of the membrane. The MTT assay showed no CMFs negative effects on the viability of hGFs with a major ROS production with the ANTIBACTERIAL program at 3 and 24 h. For the wound healing assay, STRESS program showed the best effect in terms of the rate migration at 24 h, showing statistical significance of p < 0.0001. The toluidine-blue staining observations showed the typical morphology of cells and the presence of elongated and spindle-shaped with cytoplasmic extensions and lamellipodia was observed by SEM. The ANTIBACTERIAL program statistically increased the production of collagen with respect to control and STRESS program (p < 0.0001). CMFs showed a relevant anti-virulence action against C. albicans, no cytotoxicity effects and a high hGFs migration rate. The results of this study suggest that CMFs could represent a novel eco-sustainable strategy to counteract the resistant yeast biofilm infections.