Vaginal lactobacilli inhibit growth and hyphae formation of Candida albicans

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 9; no. 1; p. 8121
• Main Authors: Jang, Sung Jae, Lee, Kyeongju, Kwon, Bomi, You, Hyun Ju, Ko, GwangPyo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 31.05.2019; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 13; 38; 38/77; 631/326/22/1292; 631/326/2522; 64; 64/60; Adult; Aged; Animals; Antifungal activity; Antifungal agents; Candida; Candida albicans; Candida albicans - growth & development; Candida albicans - pathogenicity; Candidiasis; Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal - microbiology; Female; Heat inactivation; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Hydrogen peroxide; Hydrogen Peroxide - chemistry; Hypersensitivity; Hyphae; Hyphae - growth & development; Inactivation; Lactic acid; Lactobacillus; Lactobacillus - physiology; Lactobacillus crispatus - physiology; Lactobacillus fermentum - physiology; Mice; Microbiota; Middle Aged; multidisciplinary; Proteolysis; Republic of Korea; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - isolation & purification; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Vagina; Vagina - microbiology; Republic of Korea
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44579-4

Lactobacillus species are the predominant vaginal microbiota found in healthy women of reproductive age and help to prevent pathogen infection by producing lactic acid, H 2 O 2 and anti-microbial compounds. Identification of novel vaginal Lactobacillus isolates that exhibit efficient colonisation and secrete anti- Candida factors is a promising strategy to prevent vulvovaginal candidiasis. The azole antifungal agents used to treat vulvovaginal candidiasis elicit adverse effects such as allergic responses and exhibit drug interactions. Candida strains with resistance to antifungal treatments are often reported. In this study, we isolated Lactobacillus species from healthy Korean women and investigated their antifungal effects against C . albicans in vitro and in vivo . Lactobacillus conditioned supernatant (LCS) of L . crispatus and L . fermentum inhibited C . albicans growth in vitro . A Lactobacillus -derived compound, which was not affected by proteolytic enzyme digestion and heat inactivation, inhibited growth and hyphal induction of C . albicans after adjustment to neutral pH. Combination treatment with neutral LCSs of L . crispatus and L . fermentum effectively inhibited propagation of C . albicans in a murine in vivo model of vulvovaginal candidiasis.