Microbiology & Immunology Publications

Competitive exclusion of uropathogens from human uroepithelial cells by Lactobacillus whole cells and cell wall fragments

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-1-2009

Journal

Microbiology and Immunology

Volume

53

Issue

9

First Page

487

Last Page

495

URL with Digital Object Identifier

10.1111/j.1348-0421.2009.00154.x

Abstract

Vulvovaginal candidiasis, a high prevailing infection worldwide, is mainly caused by Candida albicans. Probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 have been previously shown to be useful as adjuvants in the treatment of women with VVC. In order to demonstrate and better understand the anti-Candida activity of the probiotic microorganisms in an in vitro model simulating vaginal candidiasis, a human vaginal epithelial cell line (VK2/E6E7) was infected with C. albicans 3153a and then challenged with probiotic L. rhamnosus GR-1 and/or L. reuteri RC-14 or their respective CFS (alone or in combination).At each time point (0, 6, 12 and 24 hr), numbers of yeast, lactobacilli and viable VK2/E6E7cellsweredeterminedand, at 0, 6and12 hr, the supernatantsweremeasuredfor cytokine levels. We found that C. albicans induced a significant increase in IL-1α and IL-8 production by VK2/E6E7 cells. After lactobacilli challenge, epithelial cells did not alter IL-6, IL-1α, RANTES and VEGF levels. However, CFS from the probiotic microorganisms up-regulated IL-8 and IP-10 levels secreted by VK2/E6E7 cells infected with C. albicans. At 24 hr of co-incubation, L. reuteri RC-14 alone and in combination with L. rhamnosus GR-1 decreased the yeast population recoverable from the cells. In conclusion, L. reuteri RC-14 alone and together with L. rhamnosus GR-1 have the potential to inhibit the yeast growth and their CFS may up-regulate IL-8 and IP-10 secretion by VK2/E6E7 cells, which could possibly have played an important role in helping to clear VVC in vivo. ©2009 The Societies and Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

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