Lactic Acid Bacteria Dry Powder Inhaler as Promising Tool for Pseudomonas aeruginosa Growth Inhibition in Pulmonary Dysbiosis
Stefania Glieca1, Eride Quarta1, Benedetta Bottari1, Elena Bancalari1, Erika Scaltriti2, Martina Tambassi2, Simona Bertoni1, Lisa Flammini1, Fabio Sonvico1 & Francesca Buttini1
1Food and Drug Department, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 27/a, Parma, 43125, Italy
2Risk Analysis and Genomic Epidemiology Unit, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia-Romagna, Strada dei Mercati, 13/A, Parma, 43126, Italy
Summary
The aim of the project was the development and characterization of inhalation powders containing a probiotic (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus or Lactobacillus acidophilus) for the interaction with the lung microbiota and for the containment of P. aeruginosa (PA) growth in patients with cystic fibrosis. By optimizing a spray drying process applying a design of experiment, it was possible to maintain the viability of the probiotics, which decreased by only one order of magnitude after the process in comparison with the bacterial viability in the stock suspension.
Probiotic powders showed a high respirability (FPF approximately 50%) suitable for lung deposition. Interestingly, Lpb. plantarum powder showed a bactericidal activity on the three different PA strains while the other two probiotic powder were bacteriostatic. The effect could be explained by the fact that the Lpb. plantarum is less impacted by the spray drying process, and for this reason it has a greater ability to adapt to the culture medium, to grow and acidify it up to a pH of 3.7.
The work represents a promising starting point for considering a probiotic dry powder inhaler as a tool to contain the growth of pathogenic lung microflora. This approach could be beneficial during the suspension of inhaled antibiotic therapy in the treatment regimen of cystic fibrosis.