Protective effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum YC225 Mixture Are associated with Gut Microbiota in Vulvovaginal Candidiasis.

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a prevalent mucosal infection predominantly caused by Candida albicans (C. albicans). Vaginal lactobacilli contribute to colonization resistance and epithelial barrier integrity. However, therapeutic options remain limited and recurrence is common. In this study, we investigated the effects of a lactic acid bacteria mixture (LM; InoRexyne®) enriched with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum YC225 on antifungal activity and inflammation in vitro and in an estrogenized murine VVC model. In RAW264.7 macrophages and VK2/E6E7 vaginal epithelial cells, the LM cell-free supernatant inhibited C. albicans growth and reduced inflammatory readouts induced by lipopolysaccharide or C. albicans. In vivo, oral LM administration for 14 d attenuated VVC-associated histopathological damage, reduced vaginal IL-6 and nitric oxide levels, and decreased fungal burden compared with infected controls. LM also increased the expression of the tight junction marker gene Tjp1 and modulated inflammatory gene expression in vaginal tissue (NanoString panel), including downregulation of selected pro-inflammatory pathways and upregulation of the anti-fibrotic regulator Smad7. 16S rRNA profiling of fecal samples showed LM-associated shifts in gut microbial composition, including increased abundance of Lactobacillus/L. plantarum and decreased abundance of several opportunistic taxa. Correlation analysis suggested associations between specific gut taxa and VVC parameters. Collectively, these findings indicate that oral LM may mitigate VVC-associated inflammation, epithelial damage, and fungal burden, and these effects are accompanied by changes in gut microbiota composition.