Lactobacillus crispatus M247: Characteristics of a Precision Probiotic Instrument for Gynecological and Urinary Well-Being

Abstract

The altered patterns of a microbial population colonizing an organ are increasingly recognized as a relevant item in human disease pathogenesis. The female urogenital tract is no exception, as some vaginal microbiota patterns, named community state types (CSTs), and urinary tract microbiota patterns, named urotypes (UTs), have been linked to viral, inflammatory, and gestational diseases. Treating these conditions is an issue, as antibiotic therapies alone are not always effective. Lactobacillus crispatus M247 is a strain with good intestinal and vaginal adhesion capability, combined with local antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties; this strain also has proven nontransferable resistance to antibiotics commonly used in female genital tract infections, such as metronidazole. Lactobacillus crispatus M247 could, therefore, be considered as a potential add-on therapy to antibiotics in vaginal tract infections, with the aim to restore a favorable microbiota pattern.

The mobilome of Lactobacillus crispatus M247 includes two novel genetic elements: Tn7088 coding for a putative bacteriocin and the siphovirus prophage ΦM247

“…A more recent comparative genomic study identified prophage sequences in 90 out of 105 L. crispatus strains isolated from various sources, with complete prophage more likely in human strains [10]. In this work, we determined the complete genome sequence of L. crispatus strain M247, a newborn faecal isolate largely studied for its probiotic activity and characterized by a strong aggregation phenotype and adherence to intestinal mucus [14][15][16][17][18][19]. It has been reported that M247 has beneficial effects on intestinal inflammatory disorders [20][21][22], helps to counteract vaginal dysbiosis [23] and probably contributes to papilloma virus clearance [24].…”

“…In this work, we determined the complete genome sequence of L. crispatus strain M247, a newborn faecal isolate largely studied for its probiotic activity and characterized by a strong aggregation phenotype and adherence to intestinal mucus [14–19]. It has been reported that M247 has beneficial effects on intestinal inflammatory disorders [20–22], helps to counteract vaginal dysbiosis [23] and probably contributes to papilloma virus clearance [24].…”

Effect of L. crispatus M247 Administration on Pregnancy Outcomes in Women Undergoing IVF: A Controlled, Retrospective, Observational, and Open-Label Study

“…In January 2020, our department started to use the well-documented M247 strain of L. crispatus in women undergoing IVF [32]. This study is therefore concerned with the retrospective analysis of the results gathered from January 2020 to December 2021.…”