Probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR‐1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC‐14 exhibit strong antifungal effects against vulvovaginal candidiasis‐causing Candida glabrata isolates

• Published in: Journal of applied microbiology Vol. 118; no. 5; pp. 1180 - 1190
• Main Authors: Chew, S.Y, Cheah, Y.K, Seow, H.F, Sandai, D, Than, L.T.L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Published for the Society for Applied Bacteriology by Blackwell Science 01.05.2015; BlackWell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Antibiosis; antifungal; antifungal properties; Candida; Candida albicans; Candida glabrata; Candida glabrata - drug effects; Candida glabrata - growth & development; Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal - microbiology; cell death; confocal laser scanning microscopy; Female; Humans; Lactobacillus reuteri; Lactobacillus reuteri - physiology; Lactobacillus reuteri RC‐14; Lactobacillus rhamnosus; Lactobacillus rhamnosus - physiology; Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR‐1; Original; phenotype; probiotic; probiotics; Probiotics - administration & dosage; viability; vulvovaginal candidiasis; yeasts; antifungal; vulvovaginal candidiasis; probiotic; Candida glabrata; Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1; Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14
• ISSN: 1364-5072; 1365-2672
• DOI: 10.1111/jam.12772

AIMS: This study investigates the antagonistic effects of the probiotic strains Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR‐1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC‐14 against vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC)‐causing Candida glabrata. METHODS AND RESULTS: Growth inhibitory activities of Lact. rhamnosus GR‐1 and Lact. reuteri RC‐14 strains against C. glabrata were demonstrated using a spot overlay assay and a plate‐based microtitre assay. In addition, these probiotic lactobacilli strains also exhibited potent candidacidal activity against C. glabrata, as demonstrated by a LIVE/DEAD yeast viability assay performed using confocal laser scanning microscopy. The metabolic activities of all C. glabrata strains were completely shut down in response to the challenges by the probiotic lactobacilli strains. In addition, both probiotic lactobacilli strains exhibited strong autoaggregation and coaggregation phenotypes in the presence of C. glabrata, which indicate that these lactobacilli strains may exert their probiotic effects through the formation of aggregates and, thus the consequent prevention of colonization by C. glabrata. CONCLUSIONS: Probiotic Lact. rhamnosus GR‐1 and Lact. reuteri RC‐14 strains exhibited potent antagonistic activities against all of the tested C. glabrata strains. These lactobacilli exhibited antifungal effects, including those attributed to their aggregation abilities, and their presence caused the cessation of growth and eventual cell death of C. glabrata. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This is the first study to report on the antagonistic effects of these probiotic lactobacilli strains against the non‐Candida albicans Candida (NCAC) species C. glabrata.