<i>Lactobacillus crispatus</i> BC1 Biosurfactant Counteracts the Infectivity of <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> Elementary Bodies
Lactobacilli-derived biosurfactants (BS) have shown promising effects as antimicrobial molecules. Since <i>Lactobacillus crispatus</i> plays a crucial role in maintaining vaginal eubiosis, BS from this species could represent novel therapeutic agents to counteract sexually transmitted pa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/5/975 |
| _version_ | 1827693630757797888 |
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| author | Claudio Foschi Carola Parolin Barbara Giordani Sara Morselli Barbara Luppi Beatrice Vitali Antonella Marangoni |
| author_facet | Claudio Foschi Carola Parolin Barbara Giordani Sara Morselli Barbara Luppi Beatrice Vitali Antonella Marangoni |
| author_sort | Claudio Foschi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Lactobacilli-derived biosurfactants (BS) have shown promising effects as antimicrobial molecules. Since <i>Lactobacillus crispatus</i> plays a crucial role in maintaining vaginal eubiosis, BS from this species could represent novel therapeutic agents to counteract sexually transmitted pathogens, such as <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> (CT). The aim of the present study was to assess the inhibitory effects of a BS produced by the vaginal strain <i>L. crispatus</i> BC1 on the infectivity of CT elementary bodies (EBs). For concentrations ranging between 1 and 0.5 mg/mL at 60-min contact time, <i>L. crispatus</i> BC1 BS displayed a highly significant anti-CT activity, with about 50% reduction of EB infectivity towards HeLa cells. To identify the components responsible for chlamydial inhibition, a panel of selected fatty acids, including those present in BS lipopeptidic structure, was tested against CT EBs. Pentadecanoic acid, myristic acid, β-hydroxy-myristic acid, and β-hydroxy-palmitic acid were able to significantly reduce EBs infectivity up to 5–0.5 µg/mL, concentrations that resulted to be non-toxic for HeLa cells. These data can contribute to the understanding of the biological role of lactobacilli in the vaginal niche, as well as to promote the application of their produced BS as an innovative and antibiotic-sparing anti-chlamydial strategy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:47:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6167b83d94e14ec1a9c28873ad181c7a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:47:11Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj.art-6167b83d94e14ec1a9c28873ad181c7a2023-11-21T17:58:06ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072021-04-019597510.3390/microorganisms9050975<i>Lactobacillus crispatus</i> BC1 Biosurfactant Counteracts the Infectivity of <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> Elementary BodiesClaudio Foschi0Carola Parolin1Barbara Giordani2Sara Morselli3Barbara Luppi4Beatrice Vitali5Antonella Marangoni6Microbiology, DIMES, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, ItalyMicrobiology, DIMES, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, ItalyMicrobiology, DIMES, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, ItalyLactobacilli-derived biosurfactants (BS) have shown promising effects as antimicrobial molecules. Since <i>Lactobacillus crispatus</i> plays a crucial role in maintaining vaginal eubiosis, BS from this species could represent novel therapeutic agents to counteract sexually transmitted pathogens, such as <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> (CT). The aim of the present study was to assess the inhibitory effects of a BS produced by the vaginal strain <i>L. crispatus</i> BC1 on the infectivity of CT elementary bodies (EBs). For concentrations ranging between 1 and 0.5 mg/mL at 60-min contact time, <i>L. crispatus</i> BC1 BS displayed a highly significant anti-CT activity, with about 50% reduction of EB infectivity towards HeLa cells. To identify the components responsible for chlamydial inhibition, a panel of selected fatty acids, including those present in BS lipopeptidic structure, was tested against CT EBs. Pentadecanoic acid, myristic acid, β-hydroxy-myristic acid, and β-hydroxy-palmitic acid were able to significantly reduce EBs infectivity up to 5–0.5 µg/mL, concentrations that resulted to be non-toxic for HeLa cells. These data can contribute to the understanding of the biological role of lactobacilli in the vaginal niche, as well as to promote the application of their produced BS as an innovative and antibiotic-sparing anti-chlamydial strategy.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/5/975lactobacilli<i>Lactobacillus crispatus</i>biosurfactants<i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i>fatty acids |
| spellingShingle | Claudio Foschi Carola Parolin Barbara Giordani Sara Morselli Barbara Luppi Beatrice Vitali Antonella Marangoni <i>Lactobacillus crispatus</i> BC1 Biosurfactant Counteracts the Infectivity of <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> Elementary Bodies Microorganisms lactobacilli <i>Lactobacillus crispatus</i> biosurfactants <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> fatty acids |
| title | <i>Lactobacillus crispatus</i> BC1 Biosurfactant Counteracts the Infectivity of <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> Elementary Bodies |
| title_full | <i>Lactobacillus crispatus</i> BC1 Biosurfactant Counteracts the Infectivity of <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> Elementary Bodies |
| title_fullStr | <i>Lactobacillus crispatus</i> BC1 Biosurfactant Counteracts the Infectivity of <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> Elementary Bodies |
| title_full_unstemmed | <i>Lactobacillus crispatus</i> BC1 Biosurfactant Counteracts the Infectivity of <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> Elementary Bodies |
| title_short | <i>Lactobacillus crispatus</i> BC1 Biosurfactant Counteracts the Infectivity of <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> Elementary Bodies |
| title_sort | i lactobacillus crispatus i bc1 biosurfactant counteracts the infectivity of i chlamydia trachomatis i elementary bodies |
| topic | lactobacilli <i>Lactobacillus crispatus</i> biosurfactants <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> fatty acids |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/5/975 |
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