Dataset Information

Myrtle-Functionalized Nanofibers Modulate Vaginal Cell Population Behavior While Counteracting Microbial Proliferation.

ABSTRACT: Vaginal infections affect millions of women annually worldwide. Therapeutic options are limited, moreover drug-resistance increases the need to find novel antimicrobials for health promotion. Recently phytochemicals were re-discovered for medical treatment. Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) plant extracts showed in vitro antioxidant, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties thanks to their bioactive compounds. The aim of the present study was to create novel nanodevices to deliver three natural extracts from leaves, seeds and fruit of myrtle, in vaginal milieu. We explored their effect on human cells (HeLa, Human Foreskin Fibroblast-1 line, and stem cells isolated from skin), resident microflora (Lactobacillus acidophilus) and on several vaginal pathogens (Trichomonas vaginalis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, Candida kefyr, Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis, Candida krusei). Polycaprolactone-Gelatin nanofibers encapsulated with leaves extract and soaked with seed extracts exhibited a different capability in regard to counteracting microbial proliferation. Moreover, these nanodevices do not affect human cells and resident microflora viability. Results reveal that some of the tested nanofibers are interesting candidates for future vaginal infection treatments.

SUBMITTER: Bellu E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9227804 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Myrtle-Functionalized Nanofibers Modulate Vaginal Cell Population Behavior While Counteracting Microbial Proliferation.

Bellu Emanuela E Diaz Nicia N Kralovič Martin M Divin Radek R Sarais Giorgia G Fadda Angela A Satta Rosanna R Montesu Maria Antonia MA Medici Serenella S Brunetti Antonio A Barcessat Ana Rita Pinheiro ARP Jarošíková Taťána T Rulc Jiří J Amler Evzen E Margarita Valentina V Rappelli Paola P Maioli Margherita M

Plants (Basel, Switzerland) 20220615 12

Vaginal infections affect millions of women annually worldwide. Therapeutic options are limited, moreover drug-resistance increases the need to find novel antimicrobials for health promotion. Recently phytochemicals were re-discovered for medical treatment. Myrtle (<i>Myrtus communis</i> L.) plant extracts showed in vitro antioxidant, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties thanks to their bioactive compounds. The aim of the present study was to create novel nanodevices to deliver three natu ...[more]

PMID: 35736728

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Project description:BackgroundExopolysaccharides (EPS) secreted by beneficial lactobacilli exert a plethora of positive activities, but little is known about their effects on biofilms of opportunistic vaginal pathogens and especially on biofilms of lactobacilli themselves. Here, the EPS produced by six vaginal lactobacilli, belonging to Lactobacillus crispatus (BC1, BC4, BC5) and Lactobacillus gasseri (BC9, BC12, BC14) species were isolated from cultural supernatants and lyophilized.ResultsLactobacillus EPS were chemically characterized in terms of monosaccharide composition by liquid chromatography (LC) analysis coupled to UV and mass spectrometry (MS) detection. Moreover, the ability of EPS (0.1, 0.5, 1 mg/mL) to stimulate the biofilm formation of lactobacilli and to inhibit the formation of pathogens' biofilms was evaluated by crystal violet (CV) staining and 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Isolated EPS (yields 133-426 mg/L) were heteropolysaccharides mainly composed of D-mannose (40-52%) and D-glucose (11-30%). For the first time we demonstrated that Lactobacillus EPS were able to stimulate in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05) the formation of biofilms of ten strains belonging to L. crispatus, L. gasseri and Limosilactobacillus vaginalis species, in terms of cell viability (84-282% increase at 1 mg/mL) and especially biofilm biomass (40-195% increase at 1 mg/mL), quantified with MTT assay and CV staining, respectively. EPS released from L. crispatus and L. gasseri were found to better stimulate the biofilms of the same producer species rather than that of other species, including producing strains themselves and other strains. Conversely, the biofilm formation of bacterial (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus spp., Enterococcus spp. and Streptococcus agalactiae) and fungal (Candida spp.) pathogens was inhibited. The anti-biofilm activity was dose-dependent and was more marked for L. gasseri-derived EPS (inhibition up to 86%, 70%, and 58% at 1 mg/mL, 0.5 mg/mL, and 0.1 mg/mL, respectively), whilst L. crispatus-derived EPS resulted overall less efficient (inhibition up to 58% at 1 mg/mL and 40% at 0.5 mg/mL) (p < 0.05).ConclusionsLactobacilli-derived EPS favour the biofilm formation of lactobacilli preventing, at the same time, that of opportunistic pathogens. These results support the possible employment of EPS as postbiotics in medicine as a therapeutic/preventive strategy to counteract vaginal infections.

Project description:Uranium (U) contamination of drinking water often affects communities with limited resources, presenting unique technology challenges for U6+ treatment. Here, we develop a suite of chemically functionalized polymer (polyacrylonitrile; PAN) nanofibers for low pressure reactive filtration applications for U6+ removal. Binding agents with either nitrogen-containing or phosphorous-based (e.g., phosphonic acid) functionalities were blended (at 1-3 wt.%) into PAN sol gels used for electrospinning, yielding functionalized nanofiber mats. For comparison, we also functionalized PAN nanofibers with amidoxime (AO) moieties, a group well-recognized for its specificity in U6+ uptake. For optimal N-based (Aliquat® 336 or Aq) and P-containing [hexadecylphosphonic acid (HPDA) and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate (HDEHP)] binding agents, we then explored their use for U6+ removal across a range of pH values (pH 2-7), U6+ concentrations (up to 10 μM), and in flow through systems simulating point of use (POU) water treatment. As expected from the use of quaternary ammonium groups in ion exchange, Aq-containing materials appear to sequester U6+ by electrostatic interactions; while uptake by these materials is limited, it is greatest at circumneutral pH where positively charged N groups bind negatively charged U6+ complexes. In contrast, HDPA and HDEHP perform best at acidic pH representative of mine drainage, where surface complexation of the uranyl cation likely drives uptake. Complexation by AO exhibited the best performance across all pH values, although U6+ uptake via surface precipitation may also occur near circumneutral pH value and at high (10 μM) dissolved U6+ concentrations. In simulated POU treatment studies using a dead-end filtration system, we observed U removal in AO-PAN systems that is insensitive to common co-solutes in groundwater (e.g., hardness and alkalinity). While more research is needed, our results suggest that only 80 g (about 0.2 lbs.) of AO-PAN filter material would be needed to treat an individual's water supply (contaminated at ten-times the U.S. EPA Maximum Contaminant Level for U) for one year.

Dataset Information

Myrtle-Functionalized Nanofibers Modulate Vaginal Cell Population Behavior While Counteracting Microbial Proliferation.

Publications

Myrtle-Functionalized Nanofibers Modulate Vaginal Cell Population Behavior While Counteracting Microbial Proliferation.

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