Antifungal effects of synthetic human beta-defensin-3-C15 peptide on candida albicans-infected root dentin

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the antifungal efficacy of a synthetic human beta-defensin-3-C15 peptide (HBD3-C15) in Candida albicans infected human root dentin. Methods: Standardized root dentin blocks were prepared (6-mm thick, 0.7-mm-wide canal) from single-rooted human permanent premolars and infected with C. albicans for 3 weeks. They were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 8/group), and their canals were filled with calcium hydroxide (CH), HBD3-C15 peptide, or chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX, 2%) as disinfectants or saline as control. After 1 week of disinfection, dentinal debris were harvested at depths of 200 and 400 gm from the canal lumen, and incubated in Yeast broth for 72 hours at 37 C. Then, colony-forming units (CFU) were measured to assess the antifungal efficacy of each medicament and analyzed statistically. Results: All medicaments showed significantly lower CFU than saline (P < .05), and their antifungal efficacies were similar at both 200- and 400-mu m tubular depths (P>.05). HBD3-C15 had similar antifungal efficacy to that of CHX at both depths (P>.05), and both medicaments had significantly lower CFU than CH at both depths (P < .05). Conclusions: In this ex vivo model of C albicans infected human root dentin, the antifungal efficacy of synthetic HBD3-C15 was comparable with CHX.