Sutyak Katia E, Anderson Robert A, Dover Sara E, Feathergill Kenneth A, Aroutcheva Alla A, Faro Sebastian, Chikindas Michael L
Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08854-8097, USA.
Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol. 2008;2008:540758. doi: 10.1155/2008/540758. Epub 2008 Oct 9.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV), a condition affecting millions of women each year, is primarily caused by the gram-variable organism Gardnerella vaginalis. A number of organisms associated with BV cases have been reported to develop multidrug resistance, leading to the need for alternative therapies. Previously, we reported the antimicrobial peptide subtilosin has proven antimicrobial activity against G. vaginalis, but not against the tested healthy vaginal microbiota of lactobacilli. After conducting tissue sensitivity assays using an ectocervical tissue model, we determined that human cells remained viable after prolonged exposures to partially-purified subtilosin, indicating the compound is safe for human use. Subtilosin was shown to eliminate the motility and forward progression of human spermatozoa in a dose-dependent manner, and can therefore be considered a general spermicidal agent. These results suggest subtilosin would be a valuable component in topical personal care products aimed at contraception and BV prophylaxis and treatment.
细菌性阴道病（BV）每年影响数百万女性，主要由革兰氏可变菌阴道加德纳菌引起。据报道，许多与BV病例相关的生物体产生了多重耐药性，因此需要替代疗法。此前，我们报道抗菌肽枯草菌素已被证明对阴道加德纳菌具有抗菌活性，但对测试的健康阴道乳酸杆菌微生物群没有活性。在使用宫颈外组织模型进行组织敏感性测定后，我们确定人类细胞在长时间暴露于部分纯化的枯草菌素后仍能存活，这表明该化合物对人类使用是安全的。结果表明，枯草菌素能以剂量依赖的方式消除人类精子的活力和向前运动，因此可被视为一种通用的杀精剂。这些结果表明，枯草菌素将是用于避孕以及BV预防和治疗的局部个人护理产品中的一种有价值的成分。
