Scholarlink

Background <p>The cervicovaginal microbiome plays a critical role in women’s health with microbial communities dominated by <i>Lactobacillus</i> species considered optimal. In contrast, the depletion of lactobacilli and the presence of a diverse array of strict and facultative anaerobes, such as <i>Gardnerella vaginalis</i>, have been linked with adverse reproductive outcomes. Despite these associations, the molecular mechanisms by which host-microbial interactions modulate cervical and vaginal epithelial function remains poorly understood.</p> Results <p>In this study, we used RNA sequencing to characterize the transcriptional response of cervicovaginal epithelial cells exposed to the culture supernatants of common vaginal bacteria. Our findings revealed that <i>G. vaginalis</i> culture supernatants upregulate genes associated with an activated innate immune response and increased cell death. Conversely, <i>Lactobacillus crispatus</i> culture supernatants induced transcriptional changes indicative of epigenomic modeling in ectocervical epithelial cells. Epigenomic modification by <i>L. crispatus</i> was confirmed by ATAC-sequencing, which demonstrated reduced chromatin accessibility.</p> Conclusions <p>These results provide new insights into host-microbe interactions within the lower reproductive tract and suggest that modulating the cervicovaginal microbiome could offer innovative therapeutic strategies to improve reproductive health.</p> <p><MediaObject ID="MOESM4"> <VideoObject FileRef="MediaObjects/40168_2025_2223_MOESM4_ESM.mp4" VideoID="FJdM5kTHkUVQJpfMVDM9-G"> <Caption Language="En" xml:lang="en"> <CaptionContent> <p>Video Abstract</p> </CaptionContent> </Caption> </VideoObject> </MediaObject></p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Cervicovaginal microbiome alters transcriptomic and chromatin accessibility signatures across cervicovaginal epithelial barriers

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月25日

查看全文
  • Lauren Anton,
  • Ana G. Cristancho,
  • Briana Ferguson,
  • Jacques Ravel,
  • Michal A. Elovitz

摘要

Background

The cervicovaginal microbiome plays a critical role in women’s health with microbial communities dominated by Lactobacillus species considered optimal. In contrast, the depletion of lactobacilli and the presence of a diverse array of strict and facultative anaerobes, such as Gardnerella vaginalis, have been linked with adverse reproductive outcomes. Despite these associations, the molecular mechanisms by which host-microbial interactions modulate cervical and vaginal epithelial function remains poorly understood.

Results

In this study, we used RNA sequencing to characterize the transcriptional response of cervicovaginal epithelial cells exposed to the culture supernatants of common vaginal bacteria. Our findings revealed that G. vaginalis culture supernatants upregulate genes associated with an activated innate immune response and increased cell death. Conversely, Lactobacillus crispatus culture supernatants induced transcriptional changes indicative of epigenomic modeling in ectocervical epithelial cells. Epigenomic modification by L. crispatus was confirmed by ATAC-sequencing, which demonstrated reduced chromatin accessibility.

Conclusions

These results provide new insights into host-microbe interactions within the lower reproductive tract and suggest that modulating the cervicovaginal microbiome could offer innovative therapeutic strategies to improve reproductive health.

Video Abstract