• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.295-298
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• 2011

Lactobacillus species in the female genital tract are thought to act as a barrier to infection. Several studies have demonstrated that lactobacilli can adhere to vaginal epithelial cells. However, little is known about how the adherence of lactobacilli to vaginal epithelial cells affects the acidity, cell viability, or proliferation of the lactobacilli themselves or those of vaginal epithelial cells. Lactobacillus acidophilus was co-cultured with immortalized human vaginal epithelial cells (MS74 cell line), and the growth of L. acidophilus and the acidity of the culture medium were measured. MS74 cell density and viability were also assessed by counting cell numbers and observing the cell attachment state. L. acidophilus showed exponential growth for the first 6 hr until 9 hr, and the pH was maintained close to 4.0-5.0 at 24 hr after culture, consistent with previous studies. The growth curve of L. acidophilus or the pH values were relatively unaffected by co-culture with MS74 cells, confirming that L. acidophilus maintains a low pH in the presence of MS74 cells. This co-culture model could therefore potentially be used to mimic vaginal conditions for future in vitro studies. On the other hand, MS74 cells co-cultured with L. acidophilus more firmly attached to the culture plate, and a higher number of cells were present compared to cells cultured in the absence of L. acidophilus. These results indicate that L. acidophilus increases MS74 cell proliferation and viability, suggesting that lactobacilli may contribute to the healthy environment for vaginal epithelial cells.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.235-244
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• 2001

The aim of this study was to observe morphological changes of Trichomonas vaginalis after contact with human vaginal epithelial cells, by scanning electron microscope. The vaginal epithelial cells (VEC) (menstrual, days $5\sim10$) from normal women were mixed with T. vaginalis (VEC/trichomonads ratio of 1 : 10), and incubated for 30 min. The parasitic body was changed to a more elongated shape with pseudopodia or was flattened to ameboid transformation showing highly adherence to VEC.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1844-1854
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• 2017

Trichomonas vaginalis is a pathogen that triggers severe immune responses in hosts. T. vaginalis ${\alpha}$-actinin 2 ($Tv{\alpha}$-actinin 2) has been used to diagnose trichomoniasis. $Tv{\alpha}$-actinin 2 was dissected into three parts; the N-terminal, central, and C-terminal portions of the protein (#1, #2, and #3, respectively). Western blot of these $Tv{\alpha}$-actinin 2 proteins with pooled patients' sera indicated that #2 and #3, but not #1, reacted with those sera. Immunofluorescence assays of two different forms of T. vaginalis (trophozoites and amoeboid forms), using anti-$Tv{\alpha}$- actinin 2 antibodies, showed localization of $Tv{\alpha}$-actinin 2 close to the plasma membranes of the amoeboid form. Fractionation experiments indicated the presence of $Tv{\alpha}$-actinin 2 in cytoplasmic, membrane, and secreted proteins of T. vaginalis. Binding of fluorescence-labeled Trichomonas to vaginal epithelial cells and prostate cells was decreased in the antibody blocking experiment using anti-$Tv{\alpha}$-actinin 2 antibodies. Pretreatment of T. vaginalis with anti-$rTv{\alpha}$-actinin 2 antibodies also resulted in reduction in its cytotoxicity. Flow cytometry, ligand-binding immunoblotting assay, and observation by fluorescence microscopy were used to detect the binding of recombinant $Tv{\alpha}$-actinin 2 to human epithelial cell lines. Specifically, the truncated N-terminal portion of $Tv{\alpha}$-actinin 2, $Tv{\alpha}$-actinin 2 #1, was shown to bind directly to vaginal epithelial cells. These data suggest that ${\alpha}$-actinin 2 is one of the virulence factors responsible for the pathogenesis of T. vaginalis by serving as an adhesin to the host cells.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.418-425
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• 2002

Estrus was induced in 13 anestrus Korea Jin-do bitches by intramuscular injection of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) in a dose of 500 lU once daily for ten consecutive days, followed by an additional single intraveneous injection of 1,000 lU of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on the tenth day. Day-changes of vaginal epithelial cells during the hormone treatment were investigated in each experimental bitches and compared with the those of spontaneous estrus bitches. The first days of vulval bleeding and male acceptance after PMSG treatment were on Day 6.0$\pm$ 1.5 (mean$\pm$ SD) and Day 9.0$\pm$ 1.9, respectively. And in all of 13 bitches, vulval swelling and perineal reflex were shown. The mean durations of proestrus and estrus were 2.9$\pm$ 1.4 (mean$\pm$ SD, range ; 1-6) and 11.5: 1.7 (range ; 8-14) days, respectively, that is, duration of proestrus was significantly shorter than that of the spontneous estrous bitches but duration of estrus was longer than that of the spontaneous estrous bitches. Characteristic features of vaginal cytology during the estrous cycle were the high proportions of large intermediate cell, superficial cell, anuclear cell and erythrocyte in proestrus, superficial cell and anuclear cell in estrus and parabasal cell, small intermediate, large intermediate cell, and leukocyte in diestrus, respectively. The comification index (Cl) was significantly high proportion in proestrus and estrus, when Day 0 was timed from the first day of male acceptance, the Cl was first increased above 80% on Day 0 and maintained above 80% until Day 0 to Day 5 during 6 days and showed a peak on Day 2. Also it was maintained above 90% until Day 2 to Day 3 during 2 days. These results indicated that all 13 ekperimental bitches showed positive estrus detection by the estrus behavior and vaginal smear test after treated with PMSG and hCC. It suggested that vaginal cytology was used to estimate the optimal mating and ovulation time, in consideration of the day when the Cl was maintained above 80% in estrus-induced Korea Jin-do bitches.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.65-80
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• 2014

Objectives: The object of this study was to observe the in vitro antibacterial effects of Gagam-seopyoungjeon aqueous extracts (GGSYJ) against Gardnerella vaginalis and the possible synergic combination effects with clindamycin. Methods: Antibacterial activities against Gardnerella vaginalis of GGSYJ were detected using minimal inhibition concentration (MIC), and the effects on the bacterial growth curve were also monitored at MIC and MIC${\times}$2 levels. The combination effects of GGSYJ with clindamycin were observed by checkboard microtiter assay, and the effects of bacterial growth curve treated with GGSYJ MIC+clindamycin MIC, 1/2 MIC and 1/4 MIC, respectively. The effects on the bacterial invasion and intracellular killing of GGSYJ were also observed using human vaginal epithelial (VK2) and murine macrophage (Raw264.7) cells with combination effects with clindamycin after treatment of GGSYJ MIC+clindamycin 1/2 MIC, 1/4 MIC and 1/6 MIC, respectively. Results: The MIC of clindamycin and GGSYJ against Gardnerella vaginalis were detected as $0.012{\pm}0.006$ (0.004~0.016)${\mu}g/ml$ and $1.016{\pm}0.524$ (0.391~1.563) mg/ml, respectively. Clindamycin and GGSYJ were also showed marked dosage-dependent inhibition of bacterial growth, and significant decreases of viable cells were detected in clindamycin MIC+GGSYJ MIC and clindamycin 1/2 MIC+GGSYJ MIC treatment as compared with each of single clindamycin MIC and GGSYJ MIC treatments. And significant decreases of intraepithelial and intra-macrophage viable bacteria numbers were detected in clindamycin 1/2 MIC+GGSYJ 1/2 MIC and clindamycin 1/4 MIC+GGSYJ 1/2 MIC treatment as compared with each of single clindamycin GGSYJ 1/2 MIC treatments, respectively. Conclusions: GGSYJ showed slight antibacterial effects against Gardnerella vaginalis, but they showed dosage-dependent inhibitory effects on the bacterial growth and VK2 epithelial invasions of bacteria with favorable accelerating effects of intracellular killing activities of macrophages. In addition, combination of GGSYJ also increased the inhibitory effects of clindamycin on the epithelial invasions of Gardnerella vaginalis and intracellular killing activities of macrophages against Gardnerella vaginalis as 2-fold higher as compared with clindamycin single treatment, respectively. Therefore, we expected that the clinical dosages of clindamycin can be reduced as 1/2 levels as combination with GGSYJ.