Crispact®: Probiotic Strategy to Combat BV by Reducing Gardnerella vaginalis Virulence
Crispact®, containing Lactobacillus crispatus M247, is a precision probiotic that combats bacterial vaginosis (BV) by reducing the virulence of Gardnerella vaginalis. It achieves this by decreasing the expression of key virulence factors, vaginolysin and sialidase, and blocking pathogen adherence to vaginal epithelial cells.
Crispact® is highly effective in promoting vaginal health and preventing recurrent BV, earning the 2024 NutraIngredients Award for Best Finished Product of the Year for Microbiome Modulation.
Bacterial Vaginosis and Its Main Culprit: Gardnerella vaginalis
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal disorder among women of reproductive age globally and is associated with severe public health implications, including pelvic inflammatory disease, the acquisition and transmission of viral infections, and preterm birth. Literature consistently identifies Gardnerella vaginalis as the most prevalent and virulent species in bacterial vaginosis, capable of adhering to, forming biofilms on, and inducing cytotoxicity in vaginal epithelial cells.
Lactobacillus crispatus is a crucial urogenital species typically found in the vagina of healthy women. It plays a vital role in maintaining normal vaginal microbiota, and its absence is linked to various vaginal abnormalities, particularly BV. This appears to be due to its ability to reduce the virulence of G. vaginalis.
Mechanisms of Reducing Gardnerella Virulence with Lactobacillus crispatus
The study “Lactobacillus crispatus represses vaginolysin expression by BV-associated Gardnerella vaginalis and reduces cell cytotoxicity” investigates the mechanism by which L. crispatus reduces the virulence of G. vaginalis. Researchers used a chemically-defined medium that simulates genital tract secretions and mimics a normal vaginal ecosystem where they induced a Gardnerella vaginalis infection. They observed that the cytotoxic effect of G. vaginalis is primarily due to the expression of vaginolysin and sialidase, its major cytolysins and virulence factors.
Remarkably, when L. crispatus was pre-adhered to cervical epithelial cells, there was a marked reduction in the expression of vaginolysin (-63%) and sialidase (-50%), thus significantly reducing the cytotoxicity caused by pathogenic strains of Gardnerella vaginalis (p<0.05).
This effect is specific to L. crispatus, as other vaginal facultative anaerobes did not show any protective effect. Furthermore, it appears to block G. vaginalis adherence, indicating that competitive exclusion might play a key role in protecting the vaginal environment from pathogens that cause bacterial vaginosis.
Efficiency of the Lactobacillus crispatus M247 Strain Featured in Crispact®
The importance of L. crispatus lies in its ability to trigger protective mechanisms against various Gardnerella pathogens. Crispact®, a precision probiotic containing L. crispatus M247, is an eubiotic that is highly protective of the vaginal environment and capable of limiting vaginal infections. The unique characteristics of L. crispatus M247 include:
- A QPS vaginal lactobacillus with a fully sequenced genome, free of transferable genes for virulence factors and antibiotic resistance.
- Direct competition with Gardnerella, limiting its vaginal colonization.
- Colonization of 94% of women within three months.
- 72% adhesion capacity to vaginal epithelial cells, with 18 genes for the synthesis of exopolysaccharides (EPS) that have adhesive properties to vaginal epithelial cells.
- Production of both D- and L-lactic acid, maintaining a low pH.
- High production of hydrogen peroxide, more than other L. crispatus strains.
Additionally, Crispact® is resistant to metronidazole and shows high vitality in boric acid. In combination with metronidazole, it rapidly repopulates and reduces the pathogen’s recolonization capacity.
Given all these characteristics, Crispact® represents a unique and effective solution for the treatment and prevention of recurrent bacterial vaginosis. Its specific actions in reducing the virulence of Gardnerella vaginalis highlight the potential of L. crispatus M247 in promoting vaginal health and preventing significant public health issues associated with BV.
Crispact® Accolade
Crispact® was honored with the 2024 NutraIngredients Award in the category of Best Finished Product of the Year for Microbiome Modulation. For more details, please read here.
