Candida albicans and NCAC species: acidogenic and fluoride-resistant oral inhabitants

Objective Although Candida species are thought to contribute to dental caries, their acid production under anaerobic conditions and susceptibility to fluoride have not been thoroughly studied. We therefore investigated the growth, acid production, and effect of fluoride on Candida species.Methods Ae...

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Main Authors: Haneen Raafat Fathi Mousa, Yuki Abiko, Jumpei Washio, Satoko Sato, Nobuhiro Takahashi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Journal of Oral Microbiology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20002297.2025.2473938
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author Haneen Raafat Fathi Mousa
Yuki Abiko
Jumpei Washio
Satoko Sato
Nobuhiro Takahashi
author_facet Haneen Raafat Fathi Mousa
Yuki Abiko
Jumpei Washio
Satoko Sato
Nobuhiro Takahashi
author_sort Haneen Raafat Fathi Mousa
collection DOAJ
description Objective Although Candida species are thought to contribute to dental caries, their acid production under anaerobic conditions and susceptibility to fluoride have not been thoroughly studied. We therefore investigated the growth, acid production, and effect of fluoride on Candida species.Methods Aerobic growth, acid production from glucose and its end-products under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, and enolase activity were measured in C. albicans and non-Candida-albicans-Candida (NCAC) species (C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. maltosa, and C. glabrata), and the effect of fluoride on these abilities was evaluated.Results All Candida species produced acids under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, and acetate and TCA cycle metabolites were detected. However, these organic acids only accounted for 1.9–57.6% of the acids produced. Up to 80 mM fluoride hardly inhibited growth and did not inhibit acid production except for C. glabrata, despite the low 50% inhibitory fluoride concentration of 0.19–0.34 mM for enolase.Conclusion Candida species produced acids under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, indicating their significant cariogenicity. Their growth and acid production were highly fluoride-resistant, whereas their enolase was fluoride-sensitive, suggesting mechanisms for maintaining low intracellular fluoride. The mechanisms underlying the fluoride resistance remain underexplored. Approaches other than fluoride may be needed to control Candida-associated caries.
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spelling doaj-art-ee72b50a4f364d5b92d0f9dc47fa93102025-08-20T03:05:30ZengTaylor & Francis GroupJournal of Oral Microbiology2000-22972025-12-0117110.1080/20002297.2025.2473938Candida albicans and NCAC species: acidogenic and fluoride-resistant oral inhabitantsHaneen Raafat Fathi Mousa0Yuki Abiko1Jumpei Washio2Satoko Sato3Nobuhiro Takahashi4Division of Oral Ecology and Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai, JapanDivision of Oral Ecology and Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai, JapanDivision of Oral Ecology and Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai, JapanDivision of Oral Ecology and Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai, JapanDivision of Oral Ecology and Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai, JapanObjective Although Candida species are thought to contribute to dental caries, their acid production under anaerobic conditions and susceptibility to fluoride have not been thoroughly studied. We therefore investigated the growth, acid production, and effect of fluoride on Candida species.Methods Aerobic growth, acid production from glucose and its end-products under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, and enolase activity were measured in C. albicans and non-Candida-albicans-Candida (NCAC) species (C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. maltosa, and C. glabrata), and the effect of fluoride on these abilities was evaluated.Results All Candida species produced acids under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, and acetate and TCA cycle metabolites were detected. However, these organic acids only accounted for 1.9–57.6% of the acids produced. Up to 80 mM fluoride hardly inhibited growth and did not inhibit acid production except for C. glabrata, despite the low 50% inhibitory fluoride concentration of 0.19–0.34 mM for enolase.Conclusion Candida species produced acids under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, indicating their significant cariogenicity. Their growth and acid production were highly fluoride-resistant, whereas their enolase was fluoride-sensitive, suggesting mechanisms for maintaining low intracellular fluoride. The mechanisms underlying the fluoride resistance remain underexplored. Approaches other than fluoride may be needed to control Candida-associated caries.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20002297.2025.2473938Acid productionCandida speciescandidal growthdental cariesenolasefluoride
spellingShingle Haneen Raafat Fathi Mousa
Yuki Abiko
Jumpei Washio
Satoko Sato
Nobuhiro Takahashi
Candida albicans and NCAC species: acidogenic and fluoride-resistant oral inhabitants
Journal of Oral Microbiology
Acid production
Candida species
candidal growth
dental caries
enolase
fluoride
title Candida albicans and NCAC species: acidogenic and fluoride-resistant oral inhabitants
title_full Candida albicans and NCAC species: acidogenic and fluoride-resistant oral inhabitants
title_fullStr Candida albicans and NCAC species: acidogenic and fluoride-resistant oral inhabitants
title_full_unstemmed Candida albicans and NCAC species: acidogenic and fluoride-resistant oral inhabitants
title_short Candida albicans and NCAC species: acidogenic and fluoride-resistant oral inhabitants
title_sort candida albicans and ncac species acidogenic and fluoride resistant oral inhabitants
topic Acid production
Candida species
candidal growth
dental caries
enolase
fluoride
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20002297.2025.2473938
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AT jumpeiwashio candidaalbicansandncacspeciesacidogenicandfluorideresistantoralinhabitants
AT satokosato candidaalbicansandncacspeciesacidogenicandfluorideresistantoralinhabitants
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