The inhibitory effect of micafungin on biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

This study assesses the potential effect of micafungin, an antifungal agent known to inhibit 1,3--D-glucan synthesis in Candida albicans, on biofilm formation of selected Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates by decreasing the synthesis of extracellular matrix -D-glucan forming units. The effect of an optimal therapeutic dose of 10mgml(-1) micafungin on the production of biofilm was monitored in vitro using a microtiter plate assay. Phenotypic reduction in the formation of biofilm was significant (based on average optical density; p<0.05) in most of the isolates. Moreover, the relative gene expression of biofilm encoding genes for alginate and pellicles (algC and pelC, respectively), and the cell wall 1,3--D-glucan encoding gene (ndvB) was evaluated using quantitative reverse transcription PCR. For all the genes tested, the levels of mRNA transcription were also decreased significantly (p<0.05) in micafungin-treated samples cf. their untreated counterparts. In conclusion, this study presents micafungin as a potential agent for disrupting the structure of a biofilm of P. aeruginosa allowing the possible exposure and treatment of core-planktonic cells.