VAGINAL LACTOBACILLI REGULATE THE ACTIVITY OF MURAMIDASE VIA HYDROGEN PEROXIDE AND SURFACTANTS

Abstract

Aim. Evaluation of the effect of metabolites of vaginal lactobacilli on the enzymatic and bactericidal activity of muramidase. Materials and methods. We investigated how the enzymatic and bactericidal activity of muramidase changes after treatment with supernatants of lactobacilli containing surfactants, hydrogen peroxide, or a combination thereof. The enzymatic activity was measured by the rate of Micrococcus luteus lysis, bactericidal activity for test strains of Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus acidophilus by results of seeding on agar plates. Results. The hydrogen peroxide and surfactants reduced the enzymatic activity of lysozyme. Bactericidal activity of lysozyme against L. acidophilus and E. coli was decreased under the influence of surfactants. Hydrogen peroxide and its combinations with surfactants decreased bactericidal activity of lysozyme against L. acidophilus and increased for E. coli. Low concentrations of surfactants potentiated the effect of H2O2 on the antibacterial activity of lysozyme. Conclusion. It is concluded that the metabolites of the normal microflora is a implement for modification of host defense factors in order to create favorable conditions for its own existence, and prevent introduction of allochthonous species.

Keywords

• lactobacilli
• lysozyme
• hydrogen peroxide
• surfactants
• innate immunity factors