*Article* **Inflammatory Cell Recruitment in** *Candida glabrata* **Biofilm Cell-Infected Mice Receiving Antifungal Chemotherapy**

#### **Célia F. Rodrigues 1,2,\*, Alexandra Correia 3,4, Manuel Vilanova 3,4,5 and Mariana Henriques 1**


Received: 26 December 2018; Accepted: 20 January 2019; Published: 26 January 2019

**Abstract:** (1) Background: Due to a high rate of antifungal resistance, *Candida glabrata* is one of the most prevalent *Candida* spp. linked to systemic candidiasis, which is particularly critical in catheterized patients. The goal of this work was to simulate a systemic infection exclusively derived from *C. glabrata* biofilm cells and to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment of two echinocandins—caspofungin (Csf) and micafungin (Mcf). (2) Methods: CD1 mice were infected with 48 h-biofilm cells of *C. glabrata* and then treated with Csf or Mcf. After 72 h, the efficacy of each drug was evaluated to assess the organ fungal burden through colony forming units (CFU) counting. The immune cell recruitment into target organs was evaluated by flow cytometry or histopathology analysis. (3) Results: Fungal burden was found to be higher in the liver than in the kidneys. However, none of the drugs was effective in completely eradicating *C. glabrata* biofilm cells. At the evaluated time point, flow cytometry analysis showed a predominant mononuclear response in the spleen, which was also evident in the liver and kidneys of the infected mice, as observed by histopathology analysis. (4) Conclusions: Echinocandins do not have a significant impact on liver and kidney fungal burden, or recruited inflammatory infiltrate, when mice are intravenously (i.v.) infected with *C. glabrata* biofilm-grown cells.

**Keywords:** *Candida glabrata*; candidemia; echinocandins; resistance; biofilms; infection; micafungin; caspofungin; *in vivo*
