Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a prevalent women's infection characterized by excessive inflammation and damage of the vaginal epithelium that, in its recurrent form (RVVC), causes more than three symptomatic episodes per year, impacting nearly 8% of women globally. Current antifungal treatments alleviate symptoms but often fail to restore the inflammatory homeostasis of mucosal tissue and prevent recurrences. α-Tocopherol (α-TOH) and garcinoic acid (GA), a vitamin E metabolite, with immunomodulatory properties, were investigated for the first time in vaginal epithelial cells exposed to infection to assess their effects on inflammatory signaling parameters important to restore cellular homeostasis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProbiotics are living microbes that provide benefits to the host. The growing data on health promotion, following probiotics administration, increased interest among researchers and pharmaceutical companies. Infections of the lower genital tract in females, caused by a wide range of pathogens, represent one of the main areas for the use of probiotics and postbiotics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCandida albicans (C. albicans) can behave as a commensal yeast colonizing the vaginal mucosa, and in this condition is tolerated by the epithelium. When the epithelial tolerance breaks down, due to C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLactic acid bacteria are considered an inexhaustible source of bioactive compounds; indeed, products from their metabolism are known to have immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activity. Recently, we demonstrated that Cell-Free Supernatants (CFS) obtained from , (.) , (.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFcauses an estimated half-billion cases of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) every year. VVC is most commonly caused by , which, in this setting, triggers nonprotective neutrophil infiltration, aggressive local inflammation, and symptomatic disease. Despite its prevalence, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underpinning the immunopathology of this fungal infection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Candida albicans population displays high genetic diversity illustrated by 18-well differentiated genetic clusters. Cluster 13, also known as Candida africana, is an outlying cluster and includes strains first described as atypical C. albicans isolates of vaginal origin, showing apparent tropism for the female genital tract.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVaginal ecosystem is a unique environment where, in physiological conditions, lactobacilli dominate. However, pathogenic microbial species responsible for vaginitis and vaginosis can also harbor vaginal microbiota. To extend our previously published data, we analyzed here both the anti- and anti-inflammatory properties of the vaginal gel formulation, Respecta Balance Gel (RBG), commercialized as an adjuvant to treat vaginitis and vaginosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFexpresses numerous virulence factors that contribute to pathogenesis, including its dimorphic transition and even biofilm formation, through the release of specific quorum sensing molecules, such as the autoinducers (AI) tyrosol and farnesol. In particular, once organized as biofilm, cells can elude conventional antifungal therapies and the host's immune defenses as well. Accordingly, biofilm-associated infections become a major clinical challenge underlining the need of innovative antimicrobial approaches.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a common clinical condition with symptoms and signs of vaginal inflammation in the presence of species. At least one episode of VVC is experienced in up to 75% of women in the reproductive age group during their lifetime, and 5% to 8% of such women suffer from the chronic form. Most cases of VVC are still caused by C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: To assess the effects of benzydamine and mouthwashes (MoWs) containing benzydamine on different stages of Candida albicans biofilm: adhesion, formation, persistence, and regrowth (if perturbed).
Materials And Methods: C. albicans CA1398, carrying the bioluminescence ACT1p-gLUC59 fusion product, was employed.
Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a symptomatic inflammation of the vagina mainly caused by . Other species, such as , , , and , are mainly associated to the recurrent form of the disease (RVVC), although with a lower frequency. In its yeast form, is tolerated by the vaginal epithelium, but switching to the invasive hyphal form, co-regulated with the expression of genes encoding virulence factors such as secreted aspartyl proteases (Sap) and candidalysin, allows for tissue damage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is primarily caused by and affects 75% of childbearing age women. Although can colonize asymptomatically, disease is associated with an increased burden, a loss of epithelial tolerance and a breakdown in vaginal microbiota homeostasis. VVC symptoms have been ascribed to a powerful inflammatory response associated with the infiltration of non-protective neutrophils (PMN).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPlant viruses are natural, self-assembling nanostructures with versatile and genetically programmable shells, making them useful in diverse applications ranging from the development of new materials to diagnostics and therapeutics. Here, we describe the design and synthesis of plant virus nanoparticles displaying peptides associated with two different autoimmune diseases. Using animal models, we show that the recombinant nanoparticles can prevent autoimmune diabetes and ameliorate rheumatoid arthritis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFis a Gram-negative nosocomial pathogen, often causative agent of severe device-related infections, given its great capacity to form biofilm. finely regulates the expression of numerous virulence factors, including biofilm production, by Quorum Sensing (QS), a cell-to-cell communication mechanism used by many bacteria. Selective inhibition of QS-controlled pathogenicity without affecting bacterial growth may represent a novel promising strategy to overcome the well-known and widespread drug resistance of .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOropharyngeal candidiasis is a common opportunistic mucosal infection of the oral cavity, mainly caused by an overgrowth of . This infection can inhibit nutritional intakes and strongly affect quality of life. To date, standard therapeutic strategies involving the administration of antifungal drugs can bring several side effects, not least the emergence of drug-resistant strains.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEndodontic biofilm is a microbial community, enclosed in a polymeric matrix of polysaccharide origin where are found pathogens, like bacteria and opportunistic fungi responsible for various endodontic pathologies. As clinical importance is the fact, that biofilm is extremely resistant to common intracanal irrigants, antimicrobial drugs and host immune responses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro efficacy of a Cu/CaOH-based endodontic paste, against bacteria and fungi, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCandida glabrata is a second most common human opportunistic pathogen which causes superficial but also life-threatening systemic candidosis. According to the localisation of mannans and mannoproteins in the outermost layer of the cell wall, mannan detection could be one of the first steps in the cell recognition of Candida cells by the host innate immune system. Mannans from the cell wall provide important immunomodulatory activities, comprising stimulation of cytokine production, induction of dendritic cells (DCs) maturation and T-cell immunity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOral microbiota consists of hundreds of different species of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and archaea, important for oral health. Oral mycoses, mostly affecting mucosae, are mainly caused by the opportunistic pathogen Candida albicans. They become relevant in denture-wearers elderly people, in diabetic patients, and in immunocompromised individuals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGlucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ) exerts anti-inflammatory effects on the immune cells. However, less is known about GILZ function in neutrophils. We aimed to define the specific role of GILZ in basal neutrophil activity during an inflammatory response.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen responsible for both acute and chronic infections in humans. In particular, its ability to form biofilm, on biotic and abiotic surfaces, makes it particularly resistant to host's immune defenses and current antibiotic therapies as well. Innovative antimicrobial materials, like hydrogel, silver salts or nanoparticles have been used to cover new generation catheters with promising results.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVaginal candidiasis is a common disorder in women of childbearing age, caused primarily by the dimorphic fungus Candida albicans. Since C. albicans is a normal commensal of the vaginal mucosa, a long-standing question is how the fungus switches from being a harmless commensal to a virulent pathogen.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF