title: Lactobacillus rhamnosus L60, a potential probiotic isolated from the human vagina.
abstract: The vagina has been increasingly viewed as an "ecosystem" whose normal microflora help protect it from invading pathogens, including those that cause urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases. We tested new strains of lactobacilli as potential probiotics for maintenance of urogenital tract health, as well as prevention and therapy of urogenital infections. A strain of lactobacilli isolated from the vagina of nonpregnant, healthy, premenopausal women was identified as Lactobacillus rhamnosus L60 by 16S rDNA sequence homology. L60 was evaluated for antimicrobial activity, in vitro antibiotic resistance, autoaggregation, surface hydrophobicity, co-aggregation with other bacterial species, hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) production, and bacterial adherence. It displayed a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity against urogenital pathogens, and resistance to antibiotics commonly prescribed for infections caused by these pathogens. L60 produced H(2)O(2), adhered to vaginal epithelial cells, co-aggregated with Escherichia coli and Candida albicans, and displayed self-aggregation. In view of these characteristics, L60 is considered a potential probiotic, and will be further evaluated for preventive and therapeutic application locally in the vaginal tract.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología e Inmunología, Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto, Cordoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: Liliana M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Pascual
authors.forename: María B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Daniele
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pájaro
authors.forename: Lucila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barberis
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000898:Antibiosis; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D052201:Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010802:Phylogeny; D019936:Probiotics; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S