Effects of Yeast and Bacterial Commensals and Pathogens of the Female Genital Tract on the Transepithelial Electrical Resistance of HeLa Cells

Abstract

Commensals of the human body can shift to a pathogenic phase when the host immune system is impaired. This study aims to investigate the effect of seven yeast and two bacterial commensals and opportunistic pathogens isolated from blood and the female genital tract on the transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) of human cervical epithelial cell cultures (HeLa). The pathogensCandida tropicalis,C. parapsilosis,C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. albicansandSaccharomyces cerevisiae, caused a significant decrease in TER as compared to the controls;Lactobacillusspp caused a significant increase in TERversusthe controls andEscherichia colihad no effect on the TER of the cell monolayers. The above data show thatCandidaspp.,S. cerevisiaeandLactobacillusspp. have a non-selective effect on the TER of HeLa cell monolayers. These results are consistent with thein vivonon-selective action of these microorganisms on the various human mucosal epithelia.