Soluble beta-glucan salecan improves vaginal infection of Candida albicans in mice

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is one of the most common infections in women. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of a water-soluble β-glucan salecan to protect against Candida albicans (C. albicans) vaginal infection. The model was reproduced with intravaginal inoculation of yeast blastoconidia in pseudoestrus mice. We found that mice that received salecan (0.5 mg per mouse) after infection had 85% fewer CFU than infected mice given saline. Compared with the C. albicans group, salecan reduced the migration of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) in the vagina, decreased mRNA levels of cytokines IL23, IL22, IL17a, and IL17f, anti-candidal genes S100a8 and S100a9 and C. albicans pattern recognition receptor Dectin1. The analysis for vaginal microbial community composition at different taxa levels revealed that the bacterial flora composition in the vagina of the salecan-treated mice was similar to that of the uninfected mice, and distinguished from the infected mice. The vaginal lavages from the salecan treated group had more Enterococcus and its metabolite lactate. Our results suggest salecan might be a potential therapeutic agent for vaginal infection of C. albicans.