Stratum corneum lipid liposome-encapsulated panomycocin: preparation, characterization, and the determination of antimycotic efficacy against Candida spp. isolated from patients with vulvovaginitis in an in vitro human vaginal epithelium tissue model

Influence of connatural factors in shaping vaginal microflora and ensuring its health

Vaginal canal (VC) is exposed to the external environment affected by habitual factors like hygiene and sexual behaviour as well as physiological factors like puberty, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, child birth and menopause. Healthy VC harbours beneficial microflora supported by vaginal epithelium and cervical fluid. Connatural antimicrobial peptide (AMPs) of female reproductive tract (FRT) conjunctly with these beneficial microbes provide protection from a large number of infectious diseases. Such infections may either be caused by native microbes of the VC or transitory microbes like bacteria or virus which are not a part of VC microflora. This review highlight's the role of hormones, enzymes, innate immunological factors, epithelial cells and vaginal mucus that support beneficial microbes over infectious ones thus, helping to maintain homeostasis in VC and further protect the FRT. We also discuss the prospective use of vaginal probiotics and AMPs against pathogens which can serve as a potential cure for vaginal infections.

Wickerhamomyces Yeast Killer Toxins' Medical Applications

Possible implications and applications of the yeast killer phenomenon in the fight against infectious diseases are reviewed, with particular reference to some wide-spectrum killer toxins (KTs) produced by Wickerhamomyces anomalus and other related species. A perspective on the applications of these KTs in the medical field is provided considering (1) a direct use of killer strains, in particular in the symbiotic control of arthropod-borne diseases; (2) a direct use of KTs as experimental therapeutic agents; (3) the production, through the idiotypic network, of immunological derivatives of KTs and their use as potential anti-infective therapeutics. Studies on immunological derivatives of KTs in the context of vaccine development are also described.

Vaginitis: Review on Drug Resistance

Female genital tract infections have a high incidence among different age groups and represent an important impact on public health. Among them, vaginitis refers to inflammation of the vulva and/or vagina due to the presence of pathogens that cause trichomoniasis, bacterial vaginosis, and vulvovaginal candidiasis. Several discomforts are associated with these infections, as well as pregnancy complications and the facilitation of HIV transmission and acquisition. The increasing resistance of microorganisms to drugs used in therapy is remarkable, since women report the recurrence of these infections and associated comorbidities. Different resistant mechanisms already described for the drugs used in the therapy against Trichomonas vaginalis, Candida spp., and Gardnerella vaginalis, as well as aspects related to pathogenesis and treatment, are discussed in this review. This study aims to contribute to drug design, avoiding therapy ineffectiveness due to drug resistance. Effective alternative therapies to treat vaginitis will reduce the recurrence of infections and, consequently, the high costs generated in the health system, improving women's well-being.

The Vaginal-PVPA: A Vaginal Mucosa-Mimicking In Vitro Permeation Tool for Evaluation of Mucoadhesive Formulations

Drug administration to the vaginal site has gained increasing attention in past decades, highlighting the need for reliable in vitro methods to assess the performance of novel formulations. To optimize formulations destined for the vaginal site, it is important to evaluate the drug retention within the vagina as well as its permeation across the mucosa, particularly in the presence of vaginal fluids. Herewith, the vaginal-PVPA (Phospholipid Vesicle-based Permeation Assay) in vitro permeability model was validated as a tool to evaluate the permeation of the anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen from liposomal formulations (i.e., plain and chitosan-coated liposomes). Drug permeation was assessed in the presence and absence of mucus and simulated vaginal fluid (SVF) at pH conditions mimicking both the healthy vaginal premenopausal conditions and vaginal infection/pre-puberty/post-menopause state. The permeation of ibuprofen proved to depend on the type of formulation (i.e., chitosan-coated liposomes exhibited lower drug permeation), the mucoadhesive formulation properties and pH condition. This study highlights both the importance of mucus and SVF in the vaginal model to better understand and predict the in vivo performance of formulations destined for vaginal administration, and the suitability of the vaginal-PVPA model for such investigations.

Three dimensional structure prediction of panomycocin, a novel Exo-β-1,3-glucanase isolated from Wickerhamomyces anomalus NCYC 434 and the computational site-directed mutagenesis studies to enhance its thermal stability for therapeutic applications

Panomycocin is a naturally produced potent antimycotic/antifungal protein secreted by the yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus NCYC 434 with an exo-β-1,3-glucanase activity. In this study the three dimensional structure of panomycocin was predicted and the computational site-directed mutagenesis was performed to enhance its thermal stability in liquid formulations over the body temperature for topical therapeutic applications. Homology modeling was performed with MODELLER and I-TASSER. Among the generated models, the model with the lowest energy and DOPE score was selected for further loop modeling. The loop model was optimized and the reliability of the model was confirmed with ERRAT, Verify 3D and Ramachandran plot values. Enhancement of the thermal stability of the model was done using contemporary servers and programs such as SPDBViewer, CNA, I-Mutant2.0, Eris, AUTO-MUTE and MUpro. In the region outside the binding site of the model Leu52 Arg, Phe223Arg and Gly254Arg were found to be the best thermostabilizing mutations with 6.26 K, 6.26 K and 8.27 K increases, respectively. In the binding site Glu186Arg was found to be the best thermostabilizer mutation with a 9.58 K temperature increase. The results obtained in this study led us to design a mutant panomycocin that can be used as a novel antimycotic/antifungal drug in a liquid formulation for topical applications over the normal body temperature.