Cell-Free Supernatant Enhances Biofilm Formation and Hyphal/Pseudohyphal Growth by Vaginal Isolates.

is a commensal fungus of the vaginal mucosa and the principal etiological agent of vaginal candidiasis. Vaginal dysbiosis has been reported during vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), with a progressive decrease in population and an increase in population. To date, the role of in VVC pathogenesis remains scarcely explored.

Glucocorticoid-Induced Leucine Zipper-Mediated TLR2 Downregulation Accounts for Reduced Neutrophil Activity Following Acute DEX Treatment.

Glucocorticoids are the most powerful anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive pharmacological drugs available, despite their adverse effects. Glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ) is a glucocorticoid-induced gene that shares several anti-inflammatory properties with glucocorticoids. Although immunosuppressive effects of glucocorticoids on neutrophils remain poorly understood, we previously demonstrated that GILZ suppresses neutrophil activation under glucocorticoid treatment.

Optimized Extraction of Amikacin from Murine Whole Blood.

Amikacin (Amk) analysis and quantitation, for pharmacokinetics studies and other types of investigations, is conventionally performed after extraction from plasma. No report exists so far regarding drug extraction from whole blood (WB). This can represent an issue since quantification in plasma does not account for drug partitioning to the blood cell compartment, significantly underrating the drug fraction reaching the blood circulation.

Tedizolid-Rifampicin Combination Prevents Rifampicin-Resistance on Model of Mature Biofilm.

infections associated with implanted medical devices are difficult to treat and require long-lasting antibiotic therapies, especially when device removal is not possible or easy such as in the case of joint prostheses. Biofilm formation is a major cause of treatment failure and infection recurrence. This study aimed to test, for the first time, the combination of tedizolid plus rifampicin on methicillin-sensitive (MSSA ATCC 6538) and methicillin-resistant (MRSA ATCC 43300) mature biofilm.

Anti-Biofilm Properties of CNCM I-3856 and ATCC 53103 Probiotics against .

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is characterized by the presence of a polymicrobial biofilm where plays a key role. Previously, we demonstrated that CNCM (French National Collection of Cultures of Microorganisms) I-3856 is helpful in resolving experimental simulated BV in mice. In this study, we analyzed its capacity to affect biofilms and to potentiate the activity of standard antimicrobial agents.

In vitro antibacterial activity of ceftazidime/avibactam in combination against planktonic and biofilm carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from blood.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to report on in vitro tests of antibacterial activity of ceftazidime/avibactam in combination against planktonic or biofilm KPC carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC-Kp), the rate of KPC-Kp blood isolates in University of Perugia Hospital over a 5-year period, and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns.

Methods: The antibacterial activity of ceftazidime/avibactam in combination with other antimicrobials was assessed against planktonic and biofilm bacteria by Etest and checkerboard assay. A retrospective review of laboratory data was performed to evaluate the rate of KPC-Kp from blood samples and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns.

-Based Probiotics as Novel Antimicrobial Agents to Prevent and Treat Vaginal Infections.

Vaginal infections affect 70% of women during their lifetimes and account for millions of annual doctors' visits. These infections are predominantly represented by vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and bacterial vaginosis (BV). Although standard antimicrobial agents remain the major strategy for the prevention and treatment of vaginal infections, both VVC and BV are difficult to treat due to high rates of resistance and recurrence, high probability of complications, and negative effects on the vaginal microbiota.

Apoptosis of vaginal epithelial cells in clinical samples from women with diagnosed bacterial vaginosis.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is one of the most common vaginal infections among women of childbearing age. Gardnerella vaginalis (G. vaginalis) is a keystone microorganism present in more than 95% of all BV cases.

A Role for Yeast/Pseudohyphal Cells of in the Correlated Expression of Inflammasome Inducers in Women With Acute Vulvovaginal Candidiasis.

In acute vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), the fungus activates inflammasome receptors of vaginal epithelial cells through the production of virulence and immuno-inflammatory factors. Here, we show that in VVC patients, genes encoding some of the above factors (, , , , and ) are expressed in a correlated fashion. Cytological observations pointed out that pseudohyphal filaments with yeast cells are dominant at the acidic vaginal pH, and this is coupled with co-expression, at roughly similar level, of , a typical yeast and , a typical hyphae-associated genes.

CNCM I-3856 as a New Therapeutic Agent Against Oropharyngeal Candidiasis.

Oropharyngeal 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.

Vaginal Epithelial Cells Discriminate Between Yeast and Hyphae of Candida albicans in Women Who Are Colonized or Have Vaginal Candidiasis.

Background: Vaginal candidiasis is common disease affecting women; however, how Candida albicans shift from commensalism towards a pathogenic status remains poorly understood. The present study investigated the vaginal epithelial cell (EC) response dynamics under various conditions.

Methods: Healthy women, asymptomatic C.

Epitope unmasking in vulvovaginal candidiasis is associated with hyphal growth and neutrophilic infiltration.

Vaginal 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.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae-based probiotic as novel anti-microbial agent for therapy of bacterial vaginosis.

In this study, we demonstrate, for the first time, that Saccharomyces cerevisiae-based probiotic shows an inhibitory effect on Gardnerella vaginalis infection. This effect is likely due to several actions: direct interference with adherence to vaginal tissues, inhibition of sialidase activity, reduction of vaginal epithelial exfoliation. Gardnerella vaginalis does not induce vaginal inflammation and no inflammatory cytokines were, indeed, produced, by the mouse vagina, neither by Gardnerella vaginalis and by the probiotic.

NLRP3 inflammasome is a key player in human vulvovaginal disease caused by Candida albicans.

The expression of host inflammatory and Candida albicans putative virulence factors was studied in women with vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC; twenty) or colonized by the fungus but asymptomatic (carriers; fifteen) or non-colonized asymptomatic (ten subjects). Overexpression of genes encoding NLRP3 and caspase-1 inflammasome components sharply differentiated VVC patients from asymptomatic colonized or non-colonized women. Inflammasome expression was coupled with neutrophils recruitment in the vagina of VVC women and IL-1β and IL-8 production.

Therapeutic activity of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae-based probiotic and inactivated whole yeast on vaginal candidiasis.

Vulvovaginal candidiasis is the most prevalent vaginal infection worldwide and Candida albicans is its major agent. Vulvovaginal candidiasis is characterized by disruption of the vaginal microbiota composition, as happens following large spectrum antibiotic usage. Recent studies support the effectiveness of oral and local probiotic treatment for prevention of recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis.

Autophagy and Reactive Oxygen Species Are Involved in Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Release Induced by C. albicans Morphotypes.

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are a combination of DNA fibers and granular enzymes, such as elastase and myeloperoxidase. In this study, we demonstrate that Candida albicans hyphal (CAH) cells and yeast (CAY) cells induce differential amounts, kinetics and mechanisms of NET release. CAH cells induced larger quantities of NET compared to CAY cells and can stimulate rapid NET formation up to 4 h of incubation.

Molecular sensitivity threshold of wet mount and an immunochromatographic assay evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR for diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis infection in a low-risk population of childbearing women.

Vaginal trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by Trichomonas vaginalis, a flagellated protozoan. Diagnosis of T. vaginalis infection is mainly performed by wet mount microscopy, with a sensitivity ranging from 38% to 82%, compared to culture, still considered the gold standard.

In vivo induction of neutrophil chemotaxis by secretory aspartyl proteinases of Candida albicans.

Secretory aspartyl proteinases (Saps) of Candida albicans are key virulence traits which cause inflammasome-dependent, aseptic inflammation in a mouse model of vaginitis. In this paper, neutrophil migration in response to Sap2, Sap6 and chemo-attractive products released from Sap-treated vaginal epithelium was measured in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo. Our results show that Sap2 and Sap6 induce neutrophil migration and production of potent chemoattractive chemokines such as IL-8 and MIP-2 by vaginal epithelial cells.

Induction of caspase-11 by aspartyl proteinases of Candida albicans and implication in promoting inflammatory response.

We recently demonstrated that the secreted aspartyl proteinases (Saps), Sap2 and Sap6, of Candida albicans have the potential to induce the canonical activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, leading to the secretion of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18 via caspase-1 activation. We also observed that the activation of caspase-1 is partially independent from the NLRP3 activation pathway. In this study, we examined whether Sap2 and Sap6 are also able to activate the noncanonical inflammasome pathway in murine macrophages.

Functional improvement of regulatory T cells from rheumatoid arthritis subjects induced by capsular polysaccharide glucuronoxylomannogalactan.

Objective: Regulatory T cells (Treg) play a critical role in the prevention of autoimmunity, and the suppressive activity of these cells is impaired in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of the present study was to investigate function and properties of Treg of RA patients in response to purified polysaccharide glucuronoxylomannogalactan (GXMGal).

Methods: Flow cytometry and western blot analysis were used to investigate the frequency, function and properties of Treg cells.

Involvement of IL-17A in preventing the development of deep-seated candidiasis from oropharyngeal infection.

In this study we show that corticosteroid-treated Il17a(-/-) mice develop invasive candidiasis from oropharyngeal infection whereas WT mice do not. By using an established murine model of oral candidiasis we document the spatial and temporal progression of fungal infection. The histological analysis of tissues in Il17a(-/-) mice showed massive infiltration of the fungus in the stomach and alterations of the gastrointestinal tract segments.

Elucidating the immunological function of the Cryptococcus neoformans capsule.

The encapsulated fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans represents a significant agent of life-threatening infections in immunocompromised subjects. A unique characteristic of Cryptococcus species is the presence of a polysaccharide capsule, which is essential for virulence and endows Cryptococcus with potent immunoregulatory properties. This review provides an overview of the immunological properties of the principal components of C.

Microbial and vaginal determinants influencing Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum genital colonization in a population of female patients.

Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum are associated with chorioamnionitis, preterm delivery and pelvic inflammatory disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible risk factors of co-colonization by M. hominis in patients already colonized by U.

A novel bioluminescence mouse model for monitoring oropharyngeal candidiasis in mice.

Oropharyngeal Candida albicans (C. albicans) infection usually occurs in patients with altered cell-mediated immune response. Many animal models have been developed for studying the pathogenesis of disease.