Lactobacillus acidophilus (strain Scav) postbiotic metabolites reduce infection and modulate inflammation in an in vivo model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa wound infection.

Aims: This study assessed the antibacterial, antibiofilm, and immunomodulatory activity of Lactobacillus acidophilus (strain Scav) postbiotic (LaP) in a mouse model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa wound infection and evaluated the bioactive components of the LaP.

Methods and results: LaP was tested for Pseudomonas aeruginosa clearance and immunomodulatory activity during wound infection. We show that LaP applied 1 h after infection reduced tissue bacterial burden within 24 h, and this reduction persisted for 5 days. Ciprofloxacin given once at the exact same time did not reduce bacteria load as compared to vehicle controls. LaP reduced plasma IL-6 and MCP-1 levels after 5 days. Wound tissue IL-6 and MCP-1 levels were increased in infected vehicle mice at 5 days, but tissues from LaP-treated mice were similar to sham controls. LaP increased tissue IL-10 (antiinflammatory cytokine) levels. Ciprofloxacin decreased plasma and tissue IL-6 compared to vehicle controls but did not affect MCP-1 or IL-10 levels. To elucidate antibacterial and antibiofilm metabolite(s) in LaP, fractionation followed by Ps. aeruginosa antagonistic activity assays were performed. This was followed by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LCMS) analysis. Our analyses identified a low molecular weight, polar molecule, which had both antibacterial and antibiofilm activity.

Conclusions: Lactobacillus acidophilus secretes an antibacterial and antibiofilm metabolite that reduced pathogen burden and resolved systemic inflammation in a Pseudomonas aeruginosa wound infection model.