Bacillus coagulans LMG S-24828 Impairs Candida Virulence and Protects Vaginal Epithelial Cells against Candida Infection In Vitro

Probiotics are living microbes that provide benefits to the host. The growing data on health pro-motion, following probiotics administration, increased interest among researchers and pharma-ceutical 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. Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) affects 75% of women in their reproductive age at least once during their life-time, with 5-8% developing the recurrent form (RVVC). The disease is triggered by the over-growth of Candida on the vaginal mucosa. Here, in order to establish its probiotic potential in the context of VVC, we evaluated the anti-fungal effects of the spore-producing Bacillus coagulans LMG S-24828 against C. albicans and C. parapsilosis as well as its beneficial effects in counteract-ing Candida vaginal infection in vitro. Our results show that both alive B. coagulans and its Cell-Free-Supernatant (CFS) exerted antifungal activity against both fungi. Moreover, alive B. co-agulans reduced hyphal formation, inhibited C. albicans adhesion to vaginal epithelial cells, showed co-aggregation capacity and exerted a protective effect on vaginal epithelial cells infected with C. albicans. These data suggest that B. coagulans LMG S-24828 may provide benefits in the context of Candida vaginal infections.