establishing a candida albicans biofilm-associated periprosthetic joint infection (pji) mouse model

Establishing a Mouse Model for &lt;em&gt;Candida albicans&lt;/em&gt; Biofilm-Related PJI

Candida albicans (C. albicans) commensally reside in many parts of the human body1, which is also the most common opportunistic pathogen that causes life-threatening invasive fungal infections, especially in immunocompromised patients2,3. C. albicans can transform between yeast and mycelium states as a polymorphic fungus. The mycelium state exhibits higher virulence, stronger adhesion, and invasion of cells and tissues4,5. Besides, C. albicans can form biofilms on the surfaces of biomedical materials such as dentures, catheters, and stents1,6,7. The dense three-dimensional structure of biofilms restricts the infiltration of antifungal drugs, expresses drug-resistant genes, and down-regulates the metabolism of fungal cells to resist immune system clearance6,7. Therefore, biofilms-related infections&#160;are quite challenging in clinics8.
Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococcus, and enterobacter are the main pathogens causing PJI9. Although the incidence of fungal PJI is relatively low (about 1%)10, the treatment cost of fungal PJI is higher11, the treatment cycle is longer11, and the treatment success rate is lower10 than bacterial PJI. In recent years, the incidence of fungal PJI has been increasing year-by-year10. Candida PJI accounts for 77%-84% of fungal PJI10,12, and C. albicans is the most common in Candida (54%). Therefore, fungal PJI needs to be studied.
Currently, PJI is treated via revision surgery by (1) removing the infected implant, (2) debridement, (3) antimicrobial treatment, and (4) reimplantation. After thorough debridement, an antibiotic containing bone cement is placed, and the patient is treated with antibiotics systemically for more than 6 weeks to effectively control the infection before a new implant is placed13. However, this method cannot fully eliminate pathogens in tissues, and recurrent infections treated with long-term antimicrobial therapy are highly likely to develop in drug-resistant strains14,15,16.
Establishing animal models of PJI is important for the research and development of new drugs or therapeutics for PJI. In the development of PJI, large dead spaces are formed around the prosthesis, leading to the formation of hematomas, which further block the blood supply of the surrounding tissues and impair the effect of antibiotics11,15. Due to the difficulty in mimicking the surrounding environment of the prosthesis, traditional animal models cannot accurately simulate the actual situation of PJI17,18.
In this paper, a C. albicans biofilm-associated PJI model in mice was constructed by using a clinically widely used titanium-nickel wire to simulate joint implants19,20. This PJI model exhibits the advantages of easy operation, high successful rate, high repeatability, and high clinical correlation. It is expected to be an important model for studying the prevention and treatment of C. albicans biofilm-related PJI.

Author Spotlight: Advancing Research on Candida albicans Biofilm-Associated Prosthetic Joint Infections 

A Periprosthetic Joint Candida albicans Infection Model in Mouse

In this study of Candida albicans biofilm-associated peri-prosthetic joint, Candida albicans infection model in mice was constructed, using titanium-nickel wire, commonly used to simulate joint implants. This PJI model is easy to operate, has a high success rate, and is clinically relevant. It will help understanding the prevention and treatment of Candida albicans biofilm-related PJI.Traditional animal models cannot accurately simulate the actual situation of PJI, due to the complex environment surrounding the processes. Candida albicans biofilm-related mouse PJI model, can address the research gap. The establishment of PJI animal model is very important for the research and the development of new drugs or therapeutics for PJI.The Candida albicans biofilm-associated mouse PJI model established in this paper is expected to be an important model for the prevention and treatment of Candida albicans biofilm-associated PJI.

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Establishing a Candida albicans Biofilm-Associated Periprosthetic Joint Infection (PJI) Mouse Model  

Establishing a Candida albicans Biofilm-Associated Periprosthetic Joint Infection (PJI) Mouse Model

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Research

JoVE Journal

Immunology and Infection

92 Views.  Xi’an Jiaotong University. Establishing a Candida albicans Biofilm-Associated Periprosthetic Joint Infection (PJI) Mouse Model