universidade de são paulo - Faculdade de Odontologia - Unesp

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Introduction
An important step in the pathogenesis of denture stomatitis is the
attachment of Candida albicans to denture surfaces, followed by biofilm
formation [1-2]. The physicochemical characteristics of the denture materials,
such as roughness [3-5], electrostatic charge [1, 6] and surface free energy [1, 7-
8], may considerably influence C. albicans adhesion. In the oral environment,
however, the denture surfaces are coated by a thin film of saliva known as
salivary pellicle. Saliva is an exocrine secretion produced by different salivary
glands [9], consisting of water, electrolytes, and proteins [9-10]. Various functions
have been attributed to saliva, among them antimicrobial properties due to the
presence of immunologic and non-immunologic proteins [10]. However, saliva
also possesses proteins that could act as receptors, to promote the initial microbial
adhesion [11-13], and as a source of water and nutrients for growth and
reproduction of microorganisms [14]. Thus, besides non-specific surface
properties, yeast adhesion can also be influenced by specific receptors in the
acquired salivary pellicle [11-13].
In this context, to develop new strategies for preventing denture stomatitis,
it is essential to evaluate the influence of salivary pellicle on Candida adhesion to
denture surfaces. However, the interactions between biomaterials, salivary pellicle
and C. albicans are complex [15], and the effect of saliva on C. albicans adhesion
still remains controversial. While some researchers have found that the salivary
pellicle increases C. albicans colonization on the materials [11-13, 16-21], others