Original Paper

Protective Effect of the Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator LY117018 on Rat Vaginal Candida albicans Colonization
Michael Essmann, Bryan Larsen

Infectious Disease Research Laboratory, University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences, Des Moines, Iowa, USA

Address of Corresponding Author

Gynecol Obstet Invest 2000;49:57-61 (DOI: 10.1159/000010214)

  Key Words

• Yeast vaginitis
• Animal model
• Estrogen
• Candida
• Selective estrogen receptor modulation

  Abstract

Although we know that estrogen promotes vaginal colonization with Candida albicans in oophorectomized rats, the availability of selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) raises the question of whether these compounds may influence the susceptibility of vaginal epithelium to Candida colonization. We inoculated rats with viable C. albicans 2 days after treatment with oil vehicle (controls), estradiol cypionate or the proprietary SERM, LY117018. LY117018 prevented colonization by a clinical isolate of C. albicans. In contrast, rats treated with estradiol cypionate remained colonized for up to 10 days after initial inoculation with viable yeast. In vitro tests demonstrated that both estradiol-17 and LY117018 promoted growth at a 1 × 10^-9M concentration, whereas both compounds suppressed yeast growth at a higher (1 × 10^-6M) concentration. The effect of LY117018 on vaginal colonization could not be predicted on the basis of in vitro investigation. We conclude that the protective effect of LY117018 resulted from an indirect effect on the host and not from its effect directly on the microorganism.

Copyright © 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Bryan Larsen, PhD
Dean for University Research
University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences
3200 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50312 (USA)
Tel. +1 515 271 1559, Fax +1 515 271 1644, E-Mail blarsen@uomhs.edu

  Article Information

Received: Received: March 24, 1999
Accepted: April 20, 1999
Number of Print Pages : 5
Number of Figures : 5, Number of Tables : 0, Number of References : 12