Antifungal Effects of Synthetic Human Beta-defensin-3-C15 Peptide on Candida albicans–infected Root Dentin

Introduction The aim of this study was to assess the antifungal efficacy of a synthetic human beta-defensin-3-C15 peptide (HBD3-C15) in Candida albicans–infected human root dentin. Methods Standardized root dentin blocks were prepared (6-mm thick, 0.7-mm-wide canal) from single-rooted human permanent premolars and infected with C. albicans for 3 weeks. They were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 8/group), and their canals were filled with calcium hydroxide (CH), HBD3-C15 peptide, or chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX, 2%) as disinfectants or saline as control. After 1 week of disinfection, dentinal debris were harvested at depths of 200 and 400 μm from the canal lumen, and incubated in Yeast broth for 72 hours at 37°C. Then, colony-forming units (CFU) were measured to assess the antifungal efficacy of each medicament and analyzed statistically. Results All medicaments showed significantly lower CFU than saline (P <.05), and their antifungal efficacies were similar at both 200- and 400-μm tubular depths (P >.05). HBD3-C15 had similar antifungal efficacy to that of CHX at both depths (P >.05), and both medicaments had significantly lower CFU than CH at both depths (P <.05). Conclusions In this ex vivo model of C. albicans–infected human root dentin, the antifungal efficacy of synthetic HBD3-C15 was comparable with CHX.