Probiotic action of Lactobacillus spp. on Candida albicans infection: study in invertebrate model hosts

Abstract

In vivo studies are fundamental to the study of microbial interactions of pathogenic microorganisms, and discovery of new antimicrobial agents. An animal model should reproduce the corresponding pathogenesis of infection in humans, including colonization and invasion from a specific route of entry and interaction with the host immune system. The aim of this study is to evaluate in vivo probiotic action between different Lactobacillus species in Candida albicans through induction of experimental candidiasis in invertebrate model of Galleria mellonella and Caenorhabditis elegans. Ten clinical strains of Lactobacillus from the oral cavity of individuals without caries will be studied. The strains of Lactobacillus will be inoculated with C. albicans in experimental models of infection hosts (Galleria mellonella and Caenorhabditis elegans). In G. mellonella model, experimental infection will be assessed by survival curves, quantification of fungal load in the hemolymph, hemocyte density and quantification of melanization. For the C. elegans model, the nematodes will be co-infected with C. albicans and Lactobacillus. After that, the infection will be evaluated by survival curves, count of CFU/mL in the intestinal tract of nematodes and study of filamentation of C. albicans. The results will be analyzed for selecting the best statistical test for each analysis of this study, considering a significance level of 5% test. (AU)