Lactobacilli-derived biosurfactants (BS) have shown promising effects as antimicrobial molecules. Since plays a crucial role in maintaining vaginal eubiosis, BS from this species could represent novel therapeutic agents to counteract sexually transmitted pathogens, such as (CT). The aim of the present study was to assess the inhibitory effects of a BS produced by the vaginal strain BC1 on the infectivity of CT elementary bodies (EBs). For concentrations ranging between 1 and 0.5 mg/mL at 60-min contact time, 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.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9050975 | DOI Listing |
Macromol Biosci
January 2025
Heinrich- Heine- University Düsseldorf, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry, 40204, Düsseldorf, Germany.
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Department of Dermatovenereology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital/Tianjin Institute of Sexually Transmitted Disease, Tianjin 300052, China. Electronic address:
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Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, United States.
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Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
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