Protective Effects of the Probiotic Bacterium Streptococcus thermophilus on Candida albicans Morphogenesis and a Murine Model of Oral Candidiasis

• Published in: Iranian journal of medical sciences Vol. 46; no. 3; pp. 207 - 217
• Main Authors: Azad, Azita, Ranjbaran, Alireza, Zareshahrabadi, Zahra, Mehrabani, Davood, Zahed Zahedani, Maryam, Talebanpour, Asana, Zomorodian, Kamiar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Iran Shiraz University of Medical Sciences 01.05.2021
• Subjects: Animals; Biofilms; candida; Candida albicans - drug effects; Candidiasis, Oral - drug therapy; Candidiasis, Oral - prevention & control; Disease Models, Animal; Iran; Mice; Original; Probiotics; Probiotics - standards; Probiotics - therapeutic use; Protective Factors; streptococcus salivarius; Streptococcus thermophilus - pathogenicity; Iran; Probiotics; Biofilms; Streptococcus salivarius; Candida
• ISSN: 0253-0716; 1735-3688
• DOI: 10.30476/ijms.2020.82080.0

Oral candidiasis is a frequent form of candidiasis, caused by species, in particular, ( ). The transition of from yeast to hyphae allows its attachment to epithelial cells, followed by biofilm formation, invasion, and tissue damage. Hence, we investigated the effect of subspecies thermophilus ( ) on the growth as well as biofilm and germ-tube formation of both and in vivo in a murine model. This experimental study was performed in the Department of Medical Mycology and Parasitology, School of Medicine, in collaboration with the Central Research Laboratory and the Comparative Biomedical Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran (2017 to 2018). The inhibitory activity of against species growth was evaluated using the broth microdilution method, and the inhibition of biofilm formation was measured using the XTT assay. The inhibition of germ-tube formation by was evaluated using the plate assay and fluorescence microscopy. The experimental activity of the probiotic bacterium was assessed by culture and histopathological methods in six groups of five mice, comprising those treated with four concentrations of probiotics, fluconazole, and distilled water. The one-way analysis of variance, followed by a hoc test, was used and a P value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. inhibited species growth at concentrations of 16 to 512 µg/mL. This probiotic inhibited the formation of biofilms and germ tubes in a dose-dependent manner. significantly reduced the colony-forming units in the mice receiving 30 mg/mL of this probiotic treatment compared with the control group (P=0.024). The histopathological analysis showed that colonization was diminished in the mice following the administration of the probiotic. Given the inhibitory activity of against the growth, transition, and biofilm formation of , it could be used in the management of oral candidiasis.