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Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet Reduces Trichophyton rubrum Adherence and Infection Capacity

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Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) jet on Trichophyton rubrum growth, germination and adherence to nail. The effects of plasma jet on T. rubrum conidia germination and on mycelial growth were evaluated by in vitro assays. An ex vivo nail infection model was used to evaluate the effects on conidia adherence and infection. Biochemical analyses of nail fragments exposed or not to CAPP were performed by attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared (ATR–FTIR) spectroscopy. Plasma jet exposure for 10 and 15 min completely inhibited mycelial growth after only one exposure. Fifteen minutes of exposure could reduce conidia germination in suspension. Fungal suspensions exposed to plasma jet for 10 and 15 min were not able to infect nail specimens. These results were corroborated by ATR–FTIR analyses of nail fragments. In conclusion, single exposure to CAPP for 15 min was able to inhibit fungal growth, adherence and infection capacity. The results suggest that cold atmospheric plasma jet can be a promising alternative for the treatment of onychomycoses caused by T. rubrum.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are greatful to São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) for the financial support: Grants #2016/07196-6 (CY Koga-Ito); #2015/21989-6 (KG Kostov) and fellowship #2014/02354-7 (AC Borges).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering and Oral Biopathology Graduate Program, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Avenida Engenheiro Francisco José Longo, 777, São José dos Campos, SP, 12245-000, Brazil

    Aline Chiodi Borges

  2. Department of Chemistry and Physics, Guaratinguetá Faculty of Engineering, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Dr. Ariberto Pereira da Cunha, 333, Guaratinguetá, SP, 12516-410, Brazil

    Thalita Mayumi Castaldelli Nishime & Konstantin Georgiev Kostov

  3. Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), Felix-Hausdorff-Street 2, 17489, Greifswald, Germany

    Thalita Mayumi Castaldelli Nishime

  4. Departament of Pharmacy, Taubaté Institute of Higher Education (ITES), Avenida Dom Pedro I, 3575, Taubaté, SP, 12090-000, Brazil

    Aline Chiodi Borges, Sabrina de Moura Rovetta, Gabriela de Morais Gouvêa Lima & Cristiane Yumi Koga-Ito

  5. Division of Fundamental Sciences, Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica (ITA), Praça Marechal Eduardo Gomes, 50, São José dos Campos, SP, 12228-970, Brazil

    Gilmar Patrocínio Thim & Beatriz Rossi Canuto de Menezes

  6. Associated Laboratory for Sensors and Materials, National Institute for Space Research, Avenida dos Astronautas, 1758, São José dos Campos, SP, 12227-010, Brazil

    João Paulo Barros Machado

Authors
  1. Aline Chiodi Borges
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  2. Thalita Mayumi Castaldelli Nishime
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  6. Gilmar Patrocínio Thim
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  7. Beatriz Rossi Canuto de Menezes
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  8. João Paulo Barros Machado
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  9. Cristiane Yumi Koga-Ito
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Contributions

ACB and TMCN performed experiments, analyzed data and wrote the paper. GDMGL analyzed data. SDMR performed experiments and analyzed data. KGK designed the study and wrote the paper. GPT carried out FTIR analyses and revised the paper. BRCDM performed FTIR analyses. JPBM conducted SEM analyses. CYK designed the study and wrote the paper.

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Correspondence to Cristiane Yumi Koga-Ito.

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Borges, A.C., Nishime, T.M.C., de Moura Rovetta, S. et al. Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet Reduces Trichophyton rubrum Adherence and Infection Capacity. Mycopathologia 184, 585–595 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-019-00375-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-019-00375-2

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