Influence of Lactobacillus in macrophage activity challenged with Candida albicans

• Grant number: 15/21784-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2015
• End date: November 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Mariella Vieira Pereira Leão
• Grantee: Valéria Mara Cortez Alves de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Instituto Básico de Biociências (IBB). Universidade de Taubaté (UNITAU). Taubaté , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Probiotics seem to benefit the health of the host by regulating the normal microbiota and by the stimulation of the immune response. Since there isa reduction in the episodes of infections caused by Candida with the consumption of these foods, the present study aims to investigate whether Lactobacillus rhamnosus can interfere with the production of nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and with the efficiency of phagocytic activity of the macrophages challenged with C. albicans. For this, macrophage of rat lineage RAW 264.7will be cultured in complete RPMI medium, at 37 in 5% CO2. After this, these cells will be activated with L. rhamnosus suspensions, for 2.5h, and subsequently be challenged with C. albicans suspension for 30, 60, 90 and 120 min. Aliquots of the culture will be collected to investigate phagocytosis activity, by observing the cells in microscopy and seeding supernatant in Sabouraud dextrose agar with chloramphenicol for colony forming units of Candida counting. Also, the nitric oxide productions will be investigated by indirect determination of the nitrite concentration using the Griess reagent and hydrogen peroxide by peroxidase oxidation method dependent of phenol red. The results will be compared with samples obtained from cell cultures not activated with lactobacilli and challenged with Candida, by using appropriate statistical test, with 5% significance level.