Abstract
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Burning sensation in the oral cavity impairs quality of life, with Candida albicans infection identified as a potential cause due to its inflammatory effects. This study examines the role of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) ion channel in mediating C. albicans-induced burning sensations using clinical data, mouse models, and zebrafish embryos. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tongue pain intensity in 173 patients was assessed using the Numerical rating scale (NRS, 0-10) before and after nystatin treatment. Mice were infected with C. albicans under immunosuppression, and TRPV1 expression in trigeminal ganglia was analyzed via immunohistochemistry and Quantitative real-time PCR. Zebrafish embryos were microinjected with C. albicans to evaluate trpv1(Zebrafish ortholog) expression using in situ hybridization. RESULTS: Patients with elevated C. albicans CFU levels showed higher NRS scores, which improved following nystatin treatment. Infected mice displayed nerve damage and increased TRPV1 expression in trigeminal ganglia. Zebrafish embryos also showed trpv1 upregulation, confirming infection-induced neuroinflammation. CONCLUSION: C. albicans infection induces oral burning sensations by increasing TRPV1 expression. Targeting TRPV1 may offer a new therapeutic approach for managing infection-related oral pain.