Inhibition of coxsackievirus B4 by Lactobacillus plantarum

The enterovirus Coxsackievirus B4 (CV-B4) can infect different human tissues and provoke abnormal function or destruction of various organs and cells. Moreover, its infections have been linked to the onset of type 1 diabetes. Coxsackievirus B4 is classified as a “challenging virus”, due to the intense yet vain efforts to find effective prevention and therapeutic agents, especially within biological compounds. Lactobacillus plantarum is a lactic acid bacterium that is endowed with probiotic properties, and holds great potential for applications in medical and food industry sectors. Several compounds produced by this microorganism have been associated with various benefits including antimicrobial activity. In this work, we investigated the possible antiviral abilities of two Lb. plantarum strains and their derivatives against CV-B4. The different assays carried out (e.g. pre-incubation, competition and post-infection, using HEp-2 cells as human cell model) suggest that the tested microorganisms and their derivatives have an in vitro inhibiting activity against CV-B4. This is the first report showing the anti-CVB4 activity of Lb. plantarum strains and their derivatives.