title: The antimicrobial effects of selenium nanoparticle-enriched probiotics and their fermented broth against Candida albicans.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lactic acid bacteria are considered important probiotics for prevention of some infections. The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of selenium dioxide on the antifungal activity of Lactobacillus plantarum and L. johnsonii against Candida albicans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lactobacillus plantarum and L. johnsonii cells, grown in the presence and absence of selenium dioxide, and their cell-free spent culture media were tested for antifungal activity against C. albicans ATCC 14053 by a hole-plate diffusion method and a time-kill assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both L. plantarum and L. johnsonii reduced selenium dioxide to cell-associated elemental selenium nanoparticles. The cell-free spent culture media, from both Lactobacillus species that had been grown with selenium dioxide for 48 h, showed enhanced antifungal activity against C. albicans. Enhanced antifungal activity of cell biomass against C. albicans was also observed in cultures grown with selenium dioxide.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Selenium dioxide-treated Lactobacillus spp. or their cell-free spent broth inhibited the growth of C. albicans and should be investigated for possible use in anti-Candida probiotic formulations in future.
authors.forename: Erfan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kheradmand
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rafii
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossien
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Yazdi
authors.forename: Abas Akhavan
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Sepahi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Biotechnology Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. shahverd@tums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Ahmad Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Shahverdi
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Oveisi
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects*; D005285:Fermentation / Q000187:drug effects; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D019936:Probiotics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D064588:Selenium Oxides / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D064588:Selenium Oxides