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Infection and Immunity, July 2008, p. 3124-3130, Vol. 76, No. 7
0019-9567/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/IAI.00101-08
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Inhibition of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Epithelial Cell Interactions by Vaginal Lactobacillus Species{triangledown}

Rachel R. Spurbeck2 and Cindy Grove Arvidson1,2,3*

Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics,1 Genetics Program,2 Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan3

Received 24 January 2008/ Returned for modification 8 March 2008/ Accepted 6 April 2008

High levels of Lactobacillus, the dominant genus of the healthy human vaginal microbiota, have been epidemiologically linked to a reduced risk of infection following exposure to the sexually transmitted pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae. In this work, a cell culture model of gonococcal infection was adapted to examine the effects of lactobacilli on gonococcal interactions with endometrial epithelial cells in vitro. Precolonization of epithelial cells with Lactobacillus jensenii, Lactobacillus gasseri ATCC 33323, or L. gasseri ATCC 9857 reduced gonococcal adherence by nearly 50%. Lactobacilli also inhibited gonococcal invasion of epithelial cells by more than 60%, which was independent of the effect on adherence. Furthermore, lactobacilli were able to displace adherent gonococci from epithelial cells, suggesting that these organisms have potential as a postexposure prophylactic. Thus, vaginal lactobacilli have the ability to inhibit gonococci at two key steps of an infection, which might have a significant effect in determining whether the gonococcus will be able to successfully establish an infection following exposure in vivo.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, 5192 Biomedical Physical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1101. Phone: (517) 355-6463, ext. 1573. Fax: (517) 353-8957. E-mail: arvidso3{at}msu.edu

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 14 April 2008.

Editor: A. Camilli

Infection and Immunity, July 2008, p. 3124-3130, Vol. 76, No. 7
0019-9567/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/IAI.00101-08
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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