title: Selection of Lactobacillus strains as potential probiotics for vaginitis treatment.
abstract: Lactobacilli are the dominant bacteria of the vaginal tract of healthy women, and imbalance of the local microbiota can predispose women to acquire infections, such as bacterial vaginosis (BV) and vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). Although antimicrobial therapy is generally effective, there is still a high incidence of recurrence and increase of microbial resistance due to the repetitive use of antimicrobials. Thus, it has been suggested that administration of probiotics incorporating selected Lactobacillus strains may be an effective strategy for preventing vaginal infections. Accordingly, the in vitro probiotic potential of 23 lactobacilli isolated from the vaginal ecosystem of healthy women from Cuba was evaluated for use in BV and VVC treatments. Eight strains were selected based on their antagonist potential against Gardnerella vaginalis, Candida albicansor both. In vitro assays revealed that all these strains reduced the pathogen counts in co-incubation, showed excellent adhesive properties (biofilm formation and auto-aggregation), were able to co-aggregate with G. vaginalis and C. albicans, yielded high amounts of hydrogen peroxide and lactic acid and demonstrated high adhesion rates to epithelial HeLa cells. Interference tests within HeLa cells showed that all strains were able to reduce the adherence of pathogens by exclusion or displacement. Lactobacilli were able to inhibit HeLa cell apoptosis caused by pathogens when the cells were incubated with the probiotics prior to challenge. These results suggest that these strains have a promising probiotic potential and can be used for prevention or treatment of BV and VVC.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carolina M A
authors.initials: CMA
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria C V
authors.initials: MCV
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thiago L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Leão
authors.affiliation: Centro Nacional de Sanidad Agropecuária, Dirección de Producciones Biofarmacéuticas, San José de las Lajas Mayabeque, Cuba.
authors.forename: Zulema P
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.affiliation: Centro Nacional de Sanidad Agropecuária, Dirección de Producciones Biofarmacéuticas, San José de las Lajas Mayabeque, Cuba.
authors.forename: Marisleydys L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ariane K S
authors.initials: AKS
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Centro Nacional de Sanidad Agropecuária, Dirección de Producciones Biofarmacéuticas, San José de las Lajas Mayabeque, Cuba.
authors.forename: Lilian S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flaviano S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jacques R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Nicoli
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects*; D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000628:therapy; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003462:Cuba; D005260:Female; D006194:Gardnerella vaginalis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D019344:Lactic Acid; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide