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Amaral WZ, Lubach GR, Rendina DN, Phillips GJ, Lyte M, Coe CL. Significant Microbial Changes Are Evident in the Reproductive Tract of Pregnant Rhesus Monkeys at Mid-Gestation but Their Gut Microbiome Does Not Shift until Late Gestation. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1481. [PMID: 37374982 PMCID: PMC10304935 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11061481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaginal and rectal specimens were obtained from cycling, pregnant, and nursing rhesus monkeys to assess pregnancy-related changes in the commensal bacteria in their reproductive and intestinal tracts. Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, significant differences were found only in the vagina at mid-gestation, not in the hindgut. To verify the apparent stability in gut bacterial composition at mid-gestation, the experiment was repeated with additional monkeys, and similar results were found with both 16S rRNA gene amplicon and metagenomic sequencing. A follow-up study investigated if bacterial changes in the hindgut might occur later in pregnancy. Gravid females were assessed closer to term and compared to nonpregnant females. By late pregnancy, significant differences in bacterial composition, including an increased abundance of 4 species of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium adolescentis, were detected, but without a shift in the overall community structure. Progesterone levels were assessed as a possible hormone mediator of bacterial change. The relative abundance of only some taxa (e.g., Bifidobacteriaceae) were specifically associated with progesterone. In summary, pregnancy changes the microbial profiles in monkeys, but the bacterial diversity in their lower reproductive tract is different from women, and the composition of their intestinal symbionts remains stable until late gestation when several Firmicutes become more prominent.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gabriele R. Lubach
- Harlow Center for Biological Psychology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53715, USA; (G.R.L.); (D.N.R.)
| | - Danielle N. Rendina
- Harlow Center for Biological Psychology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53715, USA; (G.R.L.); (D.N.R.)
- Health and Biosciences, International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF), Wilmington, DE 19803, USA
| | - Gregory J. Phillips
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA; (G.J.P.); (M.L.)
| | - Mark Lyte
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA; (G.J.P.); (M.L.)
| | - Christopher L. Coe
- Harlow Center for Biological Psychology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53715, USA; (G.R.L.); (D.N.R.)
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2
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Asangba AE, Mugisha L, Rukundo J, Lewis RJ, Halajian A, Cortés-Ortiz L, Junge RE, Irwin MT, Karlson J, Perkin A, Watsa M, Erkenswick G, Bales KL, Patton DL, Jasinska AJ, Fernandez-Duque E, Leigh SR, Stumpf RM. Large Comparative Analyses of Primate Body Site Microbiomes Indicate that the Oral Microbiome Is Unique among All Body Sites and Conserved among Nonhuman Primates. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0164321. [PMID: 35587638 PMCID: PMC9241786 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01643-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of the mammalian microbiome serves as a critical tool for understanding host-microbial diversity and coevolution and the impact of bacterial communities on host health. While studies of specific microbial systems (e.g., in the human gut) have rapidly increased, large knowledge gaps remain, hindering our understanding of the determinants and levels of variation in microbiomes across multiple body sites and host species. Here, we compare microbiome community compositions from eight distinct body sites among 17 phylogenetically diverse species of nonhuman primates (NHPs), representing the largest comparative study of microbial diversity across primate host species and body sites. Analysis of 898 samples predominantly acquired in the wild demonstrated that oral microbiomes were unique in their clustering, with distinctive divergence from all other body site microbiomes. In contrast, all other body site microbiomes clustered principally by host species and differentiated by body site within host species. These results highlight two key findings: (i) the oral microbiome is unique compared to all other body site microbiomes and conserved among diverse nonhuman primates, despite their considerable dietary and phylogenetic differences, and (ii) assessments of the determinants of host-microbial diversity are relative to the level of the comparison (i.e., intra-/inter-body site, -host species, and -individual), emphasizing the need for broader comparative microbial analyses across diverse hosts to further elucidate host-microbial dynamics, evolutionary and biological patterns of variation, and implications for human-microbial coevolution. IMPORTANCE The microbiome is critical to host health and disease, but much remains unknown about the determinants, levels, and evolution of host-microbial diversity. The relationship between hosts and their associated microbes is complex. Most studies to date have focused on the gut microbiome; however, large gaps remain in our understanding of host-microbial diversity, coevolution, and levels of variation in microbiomes across multiple body sites and host species. To better understand the patterns of variation and evolutionary context of host-microbial communities, we conducted one of the largest comparative studies to date, which indicated that the oral microbiome was distinct from the microbiomes of all other body sites and convergent across host species, suggesting conserved niche specialization within the Primates order. We also show the importance of host species differences in shaping the microbiome within specific body sites. This large, comparative study contributes valuable information on key patterns of variation among hosts and body sites, with implications for understanding host-microbial dynamics and human-microbial coevolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail E. Asangba
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Lawrence Mugisha
- Ecohealth Research Group, Conservation & Ecosystem Health Alliance (CEHA), Kampala, Uganda
- Department of Wildlife & Aquatic Animal Resources, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources & Biosecurity (COVAB), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Joshua Rukundo
- Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation (Chimpanzee Trust), Ngamba Island, Uganda
| | - Rebecca J. Lewis
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Ali Halajian
- Research Administration and Development, University of Limpopo, Sovenga, South Africa
| | - Liliana Cortés-Ortiz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Mitchell T. Irwin
- Department of Anthropology, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, USA
| | - Johan Karlson
- Tanzania Forest Conservation Group and Nocturnal Primate Research Group, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Andrew Perkin
- Tanzania Forest Conservation Group and Nocturnal Primate Research Group, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Mrinalini Watsa
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, San Diego, California, USA
- Field Projects International, Escondido, California, USA
| | - Gideon Erkenswick
- Field Projects International, Escondido, California, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Karen L. Bales
- Department of Psychology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Dorothy L. Patton
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Anna J. Jasinska
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | | | - Steven R. Leigh
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado—Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Rebecca M. Stumpf
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Kanyanchu River Chimpanzee Project and Research Collaborative, Bigodi, Uganda
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Study, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
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3
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Comizzoli P, Power ML, Bornbusch SL, Muletz-Wolz CR. Interactions between reproductive biology and microbiomes in wild animal species. Anim Microbiome 2021; 3:87. [PMID: 34949226 PMCID: PMC8697499 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-021-00156-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Many parts of the animal body harbor microbial communities, known as animal-associated microbiomes, that affect the regulation of physiological functions. Studies in human and animal models have demonstrated that the reproductive biology and such microbiomes also interact. However, this concept is poorly studied in wild animal species and little is known about the implications to fertility, parental/offspring health, and survival in natural habitats. The objective of this review is to (1) specify the interactions between animals' reproductive biology, including reproductive signaling, pregnancy, and offspring development, and their microbiomes, with an emphasis on wild species and (2) identify important research gaps as well as areas for further studies. While microbiomes present in the reproductive tract play the most direct role, other bodily microbiomes may also contribute to facilitating reproduction. In fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, endogenous processes related to the host physiology and behavior (visual and olfactory reproductive signals, copulation) can both influence and be influenced by the structure and function of microbial communities. In addition, exposures to maternal microbiomes in mammals (through vagina, skin, and milk) shape the offspring microbiomes, which, in turn, affects health later in life. Importantly, for all wild animal species, host-associated microbiomes are also influenced by environmental variations. There is still limited literature on wild animals compared to the large body of research on model species and humans. However, the few studies in wild species clearly highlight the necessity of increased research in rare and endangered animals to optimize conservation efforts in situ and ex situ. Thus, the link between microbiomes and reproduction is an emerging and critical component in wild animal conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Comizzoli
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Veterinary Hospital MRC5502, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013 USA
| | - Michael L. Power
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Veterinary Hospital MRC5502, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013 USA
| | - Sally L. Bornbusch
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Veterinary Hospital MRC5502, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013 USA
| | - Carly R. Muletz-Wolz
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Veterinary Hospital MRC5502, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013 USA
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Brinkworth JF, Valizadegan N. Sepsis and the evolution of human increased sensitivity to lipopolysaccharide. Evol Anthropol 2021; 30:141-157. [PMID: 33689211 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Among mammals, humans are exquisitely sensitive to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an environmentally pervasive bacterial cell membrane component. Very small doses of LPS trigger powerful immune responses in humans and can even initiate symptoms of sepsis. Close evolutionary relatives such as African and Asian monkeys require doses that are an order of magnitude higher to do the same. Why humans have evolved such an energetically expensive antimicrobial strategy is a question that biological anthropologists are positioned to help address. Here we compare LPS sensitivity in primate/mammalian models and propose that human high sensitivity to LPS is adaptive, linked to multiple immune tactics against pathogens, and part of multi-faceted anti-microbial strategy that strongly overlaps with that of other mammals. We support a notion that LPS sensitivity in humans has been driven by microorganisms that constitutively live on us, and has been informed by human behavioral changes over our species' evolution (e.g., meat eating, agricultural practices, and smoking).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica F Brinkworth
- Evolutionary Immunology and Genomics Laboratory, Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.,Carl R Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.,Department of Animal Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Negin Valizadegan
- Evolutionary Immunology and Genomics Laboratory, Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.,Carl R Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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5
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Bornbusch SL, Grebe NM, Lunn S, Southworth CA, Dimac-Stohl K, Drea C. Stable and transient structural variation in lemur vaginal, labial and axillary microbiomes: patterns by species, body site, ovarian hormones and forest access. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2020; 96:5836713. [PMID: 32401310 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiaa090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Host-associated microbiomes shape and are shaped by myriad processes that ultimately delineate their symbiotic functions. Whereas a host's stable traits, such as its lineage, relate to gross aspects of its microbiome structure, transient factors, such as its varying physiological state, relate to shorter term, structural variation. Our understanding of these relationships in primates derives principally from anthropoid studies and would benefit from a broader, comparative perspective. We thus examined the vaginal, labial and axillary microbiota of captive, female ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) and Coquerel's sifakas (Propithecus coquereli), across an ovarian cycle, to better understand their relation to stable (e.g. species identity/mating system, body site) and transient (e.g. ovarian hormone concentration, forest access) host features. We used 16S amplicon sequencing to determine microbial composition and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to measure serum hormone concentrations. We found marked variation in microbiota diversity and community composition between lemur species and their body sites. Across both host species, microbial diversity was significantly correlated with ovarian hormone concentrations: negatively with progesterone and positively with estradiol. The hosts' differential forest access related to the diversity of environmental microbes, particularly in axillary microbiomes. Such transient endogenous and exogenous modulators have potential implications for host reproductive health and behavioral ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicholas M Grebe
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Siera Lunn
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | | | - Kristin Dimac-Stohl
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Christine Drea
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.,Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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6
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Matrix Metalloproteinases Expressed in Response to Bacterial Vaginosis Disrupt the Endocervical Epithelium, Increasing Transmigration of HIV. Infect Immun 2020; 88:IAI.00041-20. [PMID: 32094253 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00041-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial vaginosis (BV), a disorder of the female reproductive tract (FRT) in which a healthy Lactobacillus-dominant microflora is replaced by BV-associated bacteria (BVAB), can significantly increase the incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) acquisition. Discerning the effect of BV on the mucosal epithelium of the FRT may yield novel preventatives and therapeutics for HIV infection. Here, we investigated barrier dysfunction of the endocervix by host-derived factors, secreted in response to BV, as a potential cause of HIV infection. Using a polarized endocervical cell culture system, we determined that conditioned media (CM) from endocervical cells cocultured with BVAB (endocervical+BVAB CM), as well as cervicovaginal fluid (CVF) from women with BV, disrupted epithelial polarization. We assessed host matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) as the BV-associated secreted factors which disrupt the endocervical epithelium. MMPs were overexpressed in endocervical+BVAB CM and CVF from women with BV and were capable of disrupting endocervical epithelial polarization. When we cocultured polarized endocervical cells with HIV-1-infected lymphocyte-derived cells, we discovered endocervical+BVAB CM and MMPs significantly increased the transmigration of virus through the epithelium, and treatment with an MMP inhibitor decreased these effects. When we examined the effect of CVF on HIV-1 transmigration through endocervical epithelium, we demonstrated that CVF samples with greater concentrations of BV-associated MMPs increased viral transmigration. Our results suggest MMPs increase HIV-1 infection by disrupting the endocervical epithelium, permitting transmigration of virus through the epithelium to infect underlying target cells.
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7
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Bradshaw CS, Sobel JD. Current Treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis-Limitations and Need for Innovation. J Infect Dis 2017; 214 Suppl 1:S14-20. [PMID: 27449869 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiw159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Practitioners and patients alike widely recognize the limitations of current therapeutic approaches to the treatment of bacterial vaginosis (BV). Options remain extremely limited, and our inability to prevent the frequently, often relentless symptomatic recurrences of BV and to reduce serious sequelae such as preterm delivery, remains an acknowledged but unresolved shortcoming. Our incomplete understanding of the pathophysiology of this unique form of vaginal dysbiosis has been a significant impediment to developing optimal treatment and prevention approaches. New drugs have not been forthcoming and are not likely to be available in the immediate future; hence, reliance on the optimal use of available agents has become essential as improvised often unproven regimens are implemented. In this review, we will explore the limitations of currently recommended therapies, with a particular focus on the contribution of reinfection and pathogen persistence to BV recurrence, and the development of interventions that target these mechanisms. Ultimately, to achieve sustained cure and effectiveness against BV-associated sequelae, it is possible that we will need approaches that combine antimicrobials with biofilm-disrupting agents and partner treatments in those at risk of reinfection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catriona S Bradshaw
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre Central Clinical School, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Jack D Sobel
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
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8
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Donato ACJ, Penna B, Consalter A, Carvalho DD, Lilenbaum W, Ferreira AMR. Antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus sp. isolated from the vaginal environment of squirrel monkeys (Saimiri spp.) bred ex situ. J Med Primatol 2017; 46:75-78. [PMID: 28349616 DOI: 10.1111/jmp.12258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Squirrel monkeys (Saimiri spp.) have been widely used as animal models; however, the occurrence of Staphylococcus sp in their vaginal microbiota remains to be described. METHODS Samples were collected from 175 adult squirrel monkeys to isolate Staphylococcus sp and to test for susceptibility to a panel of nine antimicrobial agents. RESULTS Isolates with characteristics of the genus Staphylococcus were detected in 95 of 175 samples. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) were the most common (95.8%, 91/95) isolates. Resistance to antibiotics was observed in 47.3% (45/95) of isolates. Resistance to tetracycline was observed in 28.5% (26/91), chloramphenicol in 15.4% (14/91), and methicillin in 13.2% (12/91) of CoNS. Coagulase-positive staphylococci were resistant to tetracycline, erythromycin, and methicillin. CONCLUSIONS The presence of Staphylococcus sp in vaginal samples obtained from squirrel monkeys suggests that these animals were in a carrier state. Furthermore, isolating strains resistant to methicillin reinforces the biosafety care of a colony.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C J Donato
- Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biomodelos, Serviço de Criação de Primatas não Humanos, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Bruno Penna
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brasil
| | - Angélica Consalter
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Veterinária (Clínica e Reprodução Animal), Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brasil
| | - Daniela D Carvalho
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade do Grande Rio, Niterói, Brasil
| | - Walter Lilenbaum
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brasil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Veterinária (Clínica e Reprodução Animal), Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brasil
| | - Ana M R Ferreira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Veterinária (Clínica e Reprodução Animal), Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brasil.,Laboratório de Anatomia Patológica Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brasil
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9
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Miller EA, Livermore JA, Alberts SC, Tung J, Archie EA. Ovarian cycling and reproductive state shape the vaginal microbiota in wild baboons. MICROBIOME 2017; 5:8. [PMID: 28103920 PMCID: PMC5248513 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-017-0228-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The vaginal microbiome is an important site of bacterial-mammalian symbiosis. This symbiosis is currently best characterized for humans, where lactobacilli dominate the microbial community and may help defend women against infectious disease. However, lactobacilli do not dominate the vaginal microbiota of any other mammal studied to date, raising key questions about the forces that shape the vaginal microbiome in non-human mammals. RESULTS We used Illumina sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene to investigate variation in the taxonomic composition of the vaginal microbiota in 48 baboons (Papio cynocephalus), members of a well-studied wild population in Kenya. Similar to prior studies, we found that the baboon vaginal microbiota was not dominated by lactobacilli. Despite this difference, and similar to humans, reproductive state was the dominant predictor of baboon vaginal microbiota, with pregnancy, postpartum amenorrhea, and ovarian cycling explaining 18% of the variance in community composition. Furthermore, among cycling females, a striking 39% of variance in community composition was explained by ovarian cycle phase, with an especially distinctive microbial community around ovulation. Periovulatory females exhibited the highest relative abundance of lactic acid-producing bacteria compared to any other phase, with a mean relative abundance of 44%. To a lesser extent, sexual behavior, especially a history of shared sexual partners, also predicted vaginal microbial similarity between baboons. CONCLUSIONS Despite striking differences in their dominant microbes, both human and baboon vaginal microbiota exhibit profound changes in composition in response to reproductive state, ovarian cycle phase, and sexual behavior. We found major shifts in composition during ovulation, which may have implications for disease risk and conception success. These findings highlight the need for future studies to account for fine-scale differences in reproductive state, particularly differences between the various phases of the ovarian cycle. Overall, our work contributes to an emerging understanding of the forces that explain intra- and inter-individual variation in the mammalian vaginal microbiome, with particular emphasis on its role in host health and disease risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Miller
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.
| | - Joshua A Livermore
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Susan C Alberts
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jenny Tung
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Archie
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
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10
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Liechty ER, Bergin IL, Bassis CM, Chai D, LeBar W, Young VB, Bell JD. The levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system is associated with delayed endocervical clearance of Chlamydia trachomatis without alterations in vaginal microbiota. Pathog Dis 2015; 73:ftv070. [PMID: 26371177 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftv070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Progestin-based contraception may impact women's susceptibility to sexually transmitted infection. We evaluated the effect of the levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) on cervical persistence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) in a baboon model. Female olive baboons (Papio anubis) with or without an LNG-IUS received CT or sham inoculations. CT was detected in cervical epithelium with weekly nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) and culture. Presence of the LNG-IUS was associated with prolonged persistence of CT. Median time to post-inoculation clearance of CT as detected by NAAT was 10 weeks (range 7-12) for animals with an LNG-IUS and 3 weeks (range 0-12) for non-LNG-IUS animals (P = 0.06). Similarly, median time to post-inoculation clearance of CT by culture was 9 weeks (range 3-12) for LNG-IUS animals and 1.5 weeks (range 0-10) for non-LNG-IUS animals (P = 0.04). We characterized the community structure of the vaginal microbiota with the presence of the LNG-IUS to determine if alterations in CT colonization dynamics were associated with changes in vaginal commensal bacteria. Vaginal swabs were collected weekly for microbiome analysis. Endocervical CT infection was not correlated with alterations in the vaginal microbiota. Together, these results suggest that LNG-IUS may facilitate CT endocervical persistence through a mechanism distinct from vaginal microbial alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma R Liechty
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan, 1150 W. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Ingrid L Bergin
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan, 1150 W. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Christine M Bassis
- Department of Internal Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Daniel Chai
- Institute for Primate Research, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - William LeBar
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Vincent B Young
- Department of Internal Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Jason D Bell
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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11
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Bradshaw CS, Brotman RM. Making inroads into improving treatment of bacterial vaginosis - striving for long-term cure. BMC Infect Dis 2015. [PMID: 26219949 PMCID: PMC4518586 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-015-1027-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is one of the great enigmas in women's health, a common condition of unknown aetiology, which is associated with significant morbidity and unacceptably high recurrence rates. While it remains unclear whether BV recurrence is predominantly due to failure of current antibiotic regimens to eradicate BV-associated bacteria (BVAB) and biofilm, a failure of some women to re-establish a resilient Lactobacillus-dominant vaginal microbiota, reinfection from sexual partners, or a combination of these factors, it is inherently challenging to make significant inroads towards this goal. In this review, we will outline why BV is such a clinical and epidemiologic conundrum, and focus on several key approaches that we believe merit discussion and clinical research, including strategies to: i) prevent reinfection (partner treatment trials), ii) boost favourable vaginal Lactobacillus species and promote a Lactobacillus-dominant vaginal microbiome (hormonal contraceptive and probiotic trials) and iii) disrupt vaginal BV-associated biofilm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catriona S Bradshaw
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, 580 Swanston Street, Carlton, VIC, 3053, Australia. .,Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Rebecca M Brotman
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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12
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UCHIHASHI M, BERGIN IL, BASSIS CM, HASHWAY SA, CHAI D, BELL JD. Influence of age, reproductive cycling status, and menstruation on the vaginal microbiome in baboons (Papio anubis). Am J Primatol 2015; 77:563-78. [PMID: 25676781 PMCID: PMC4458466 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2014] [Revised: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 12/23/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The vaginal microbiome is believed to influence host health by providing protection from pathogens and influencing reproductive outcomes such as fertility and gestational length. In humans, age-associated declines in diversity of the vaginal microbiome occur in puberty and persist into adulthood. Additionally, menstruation has been associated with decreased microbial community stability. Adult female baboons, like other non-human primates (NHPs), have a different and highly diverse vaginal microbiome compared to that of humans, which is most commonly dominated by Lactobacillus spp. We evaluated the influence of age, reproductive cycling status (cycling vs. non-cycling) and menstruation on the vaginal microbiome of 38 wild-caught, captive female olive baboons (Papio anubis) by culture-independent sequencing of the V3-V5 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. All baboons had highly diverse vaginal microbial communities. Adult baboons had significantly lower microbial diversity in comparison to subadult baboons, which was attributable to decreased relative abundance of minor taxa. No significant differences were detected based on cycling state or menstruation. Predictive metagenomic analysis showed uniformity in relative abundance of metabolic pathways regardless of age, cycle stage, or menstruation, indicating conservation of microbial community functions. This study suggests that selection of an optimal vaginal microbial community occurs at puberty. Since decreased diversity occurs in both baboons and humans at puberty, this may reflect a general strategy for selection of adult vaginal microbial communities. Comparative evaluation of vaginal microbial community development and composition may elucidate mechanisms of community formation and function that are conserved across host species or across microbial community types. These findings have implications for host health, evolutionary biology, and microbe-host ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. UCHIHASHI
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - I. L. BERGIN
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - C. M. BASSIS
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - S. A. HASHWAY
- Research Animal Resources, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - D. CHAI
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - J. D. BELL
- Reproductive Sciences Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Program on Women's Healthcare Effectiveness Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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13
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Neuendorf E, Gajer P, Bowlin AK, Marques PX, Ma B, Yang H, Fu L, Humphrys MS, Forney LJ, Myers GSA, Bavoil PM, Rank RG, Ravel J. Chlamydia caviae infection alters abundance but not composition of the guinea pig vaginal microbiota. Pathog Dis 2015; 73:ftv019. [PMID: 25761873 PMCID: PMC4445005 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftv019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In humans, the vaginal microbiota is thought to be the first line of defense again pathogens including Chlamydia trachomatis. The guinea pig has been extensively used as a model to study chlamydial infection because it shares anatomical and physiological similarities with humans, such as a squamous vaginal epithelium as well as some of the long-term outcomes caused by chlamydial infection. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the guinea pig-C. caviae model of genital infection as a surrogate for studying the role of the vaginal microbiota in the early steps of C. trachomatis infection in humans. We used culture-independent molecular methods to characterize the relative and absolute abundance of bacterial phylotypes in the guinea pig vaginal microbiota in animals non-infected, mock-infected or infected by C. caviae. We showed that the guinea pig and human vaginal microbiotas are of different bacterial composition and abundance. Chlamydia caviae infection had a profound effect on the absolute abundance of bacterial phylotypes but not on the composition of the guinea pig vaginal microbiota. Our findings compromise the validity of the guinea pig-C. caviae model to study the role of the vaginal microbiota during the early steps of sexually transmitted infection. The vaginal microbiota of the guinea pig differs from that of humans and cannot prevent chlamydial infections efficiently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Neuendorf
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Pawel Gajer
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Anne K Bowlin
- Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA
| | - Patricia X Marques
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Bing Ma
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Hongqiu Yang
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Li Fu
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Michael S Humphrys
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Larry J Forney
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute for Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Studies (IBEST), University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843, USA
| | - Garry S A Myers
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Patrik M Bavoil
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute for Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Studies (IBEST), University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843, USA
| | - Roger G Rank
- Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA
| | - Jacques Ravel
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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14
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High-fat maternal diet during pregnancy persistently alters the offspring microbiome in a primate model. Nat Commun 2014; 5:3889. [PMID: 24846660 PMCID: PMC4078997 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 305] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2014] [Accepted: 04/14/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The intestinal microbiome is a unique ecosystem and an essential mediator of metabolism and obesity in mammals. However, studies investigating the impact of the diet on the establishment of the gut microbiome early in life are generally lacking, and most notably so in primate models. Here we report that a high-fat maternal or postnatal diet, but not obesity per se, structures the offspring’s intestinal microbiome in Macaca fuscata (Japanese macaque). The resultant microbial dysbiosis is only partially corrected by a low-fat, control diet after weaning. Unexpectedly, early exposure to a high-fat diet diminished the abundance of non-pathogenic Campylobacter in the juvenile gut, suggesting a potential role for dietary fat in shaping commensal microbial communities in primates. Our data challenge the concept of an obesity-causing gut microbiome, and rather provide evidence for a contribution of the maternal diet in establishing the microbiota, which in turn affects intestinal maintenance of metabolic health.
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15
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Reid G, Nduti N, Sybesma W, Kort R, Kollmann TR, Adam R, Boga H, Brown EM, Einerhand A, El-Nezami H, Gloor GB, Kavere II, Lindahl J, Manges A, Mamo W, Martin R, McMillan A, Obiero J, Ochieng’ PA, Onyango A, Rulisa S, Salminen E, Salminen S, Sije A, Swann JR, van Treuren W, Waweru D, Kemp SJ. Harnessing microbiome and probiotic research in sub-Saharan Africa: recommendations from an African workshop. MICROBIOME 2014; 2:12. [PMID: 24739094 PMCID: PMC3996947 DOI: 10.1186/2049-2618-2-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2014] [Accepted: 03/06/2014] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
To augment capacity-building for microbiome and probiotic research in Africa, a workshop was held in Nairobi, Kenya, at which researchers discussed human, animal, insect, and agricultural microbiome and probiotics/prebiotics topics. Five recommendations were made to promote future basic and translational research that benefits Africans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregor Reid
- Lawson Health Research Institute and Departments of Microbiology & Immunology, and Surgery, University of Western Ontario, 268 Grosvenor Street, London, Ontario N6A 4V2, Canada
| | - Nicholas Nduti
- Ministry of Agriculture, Waruhiu Agriculture training Center, P.O. Box 800, Githunguri, Kenya
| | - Wilbert Sybesma
- Yoba for Life Foundation, Hunzestraat 133-A, 1079 WB Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Remco Kort
- Yoba for Life Foundation, Hunzestraat 133-A, 1079 WB Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- TNO Microbiology and Systems Biology, Utrechtseweg 48, 3704 HE Zeist, and Molecular Cell Physiology, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tobias R Kollmann
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of British Columbia, CFRI A5-147, 950 W28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Rod Adam
- Department of Pathology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Hamadi Boga
- Taita Taveta University College, P.O. Box 635–80300, Voi, Kenya
| | - Eric M Brown
- Michael Smith Laboratories and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | - Hani El-Nezami
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Rd, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Gregory B Gloor
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Irene I Kavere
- Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O. Box 62000, (00200) Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Johanna Lindahl
- Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, ILRI, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Amee Manges
- School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Wondu Mamo
- Department of Animal Production, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, Debre Zeyte, Ethiopia
| | - Rocio Martin
- Danone Nutricia Research, Uppsalalaan 12, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Amy McMillan
- Lawson Health Research Institute and Departments of Microbiology & Immunology, and Surgery, University of Western Ontario, 268 Grosvenor Street, London, Ontario N6A 4V2, Canada
| | - Jael Obiero
- Department of Reproductive Health/Biology, Institute of Primate Research, Karen, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Pamela A Ochieng’
- Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O. Box 62000, (00200) Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Arnold Onyango
- Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O. Box 62000, (00200) Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Stephen Rulisa
- University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, National University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Eeva Salminen
- Functional Foods Forum, The Medical School, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Seppo Salminen
- Department of Oncology, Turku University Hospital, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Antony Sije
- Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O. Box 62000, (00200) Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jonathan R Swann
- Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AP, United Kingdom
| | - William van Treuren
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Daniel Waweru
- Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O. Box 62000, (00200) Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Steve J Kemp
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
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16
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Hashway SA, Bergin IL, Bassis CM, Uchihashi M, Schmidt KC, Young VB, Aronoff DM, Patton DL, Bell JD. Impact of a hormone-releasing intrauterine system on the vaginal microbiome: a prospective baboon model. J Med Primatol 2013; 43:89-99. [PMID: 24266633 DOI: 10.1111/jmp.12090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Use of a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) in humans may alter vaginal microbial populations and susceptibility to pathogens. This study evaluated the time-dependent effects of an LNG-IUS on the vaginal microbiome of the baboon, a useful animal model for reproductive studies. METHODS Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine systems were inserted into three reproductively mature, female baboons. The animals were evaluated for 6 months by physical examination and Gram-stained cytology. The vaginal microbiota was characterized at each timepoint by culture-independent analysis of the 16S rRNA-encoding gene. RESULTS Each baboon harbored a diverse vaginal microbiome. Interindividual variation exceeded intra-individual variation. Diversity declined over time in one baboon and showed mild fluctuations in the other two. There were no significant community differences from early to late post-LNG-IUS placement. CONCLUSIONS The baboon vaginal microbiome is unique to each individual and is polymicrobial. In this pilot study, the vaginal microbiome remained stable from early to late post-LNG-IUS placement.
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Affiliation(s)
- S A Hashway
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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17
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Influence of vaginal bacteria and D- and L-lactic acid isomers on vaginal extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer: implications for protection against upper genital tract infections. mBio 2013; 4:mBio.00460-13. [PMID: 23919998 PMCID: PMC3735189 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00460-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 220] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
We evaluated levels of vaginal extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-8) in vaginal secretions in relation to the composition of vaginal bacterial communities and d- and l-lactic acid levels. The composition of vaginal bacterial communities in 46 women was determined by pyrosequencing the V1 to V3 region of 16S rRNA genes. Lactobacilli were dominant in 71.3% of the women, followed by Gardnerella (17.4%), Streptococcus (8.7%), and Enterococcus (2.2%). Of the lactobacillus-dominated communities, 51.5% were dominated by Lactobacillus crispatus, 36.4% by Lactobacillus iners, and 6.1% each by Lactobacillus gasseri and Lactobacillus jensenii. Concentrations of l-lactic acid were slightly higher in lactobacillus-dominated vaginal samples, but most differences were not statistically significant. d-Lactic acid levels were higher in samples containing L. crispatus than in those with L. iners (P < 0.0001) or Gardnerella (P = 0.0002). The relative proportion of d-lactic acid in vaginal communities dominated by species of lactobacilli was in concordance with the proportions found in axenic cultures of the various species grown in vitro. Levels of l-lactic acid (P < 0.0001) and the ratio of l-lactic acid to d-lactic acid (P = 0.0060), but not concentrations of d-lactic acid, were also correlated with EMMPRIN concentrations. Moreover, vaginal concentrations of EMMPRIN and MMP-8 levels were highly correlated (P < 0.0001). Taken together, the data suggest the relative proportion of l- to d-lactic acid isomers in the vagina may influence the extent of local EMMPRIN production and subsequent induction of MMP-8. The expression of these proteins may help determine the ability of bacteria to transverse the cervix and initiate upper genital tract infections. A large proportion of preterm births (>50%) result from infections caused by bacteria originating in the vagina, which requires that they traverse the cervix. Factors that influence susceptibility to these infections are not well understood; however, there is evidence that matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-8) is known to alter the integrity of the cervix. In this work, we show that concentrations of vaginal extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) are influenced by members of the vaginal microbial community and concentrations of d- or l-lactic acid isomers in vaginal secretions. Elevated levels of d-lactic acid and the ratio of d- to l-lactic acid influence EMMPRIN concentrations as well as MMP-8 levels. Thus, isomers of lactic acid may function as signaling molecules that alter host gene expression and influence risk of infection-related preterm birth.
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18
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Morgan XC, Segata N, Huttenhower C. Biodiversity and functional genomics in the human microbiome. Trends Genet 2012; 29:51-8. [PMID: 23140990 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2012.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2012] [Revised: 09/18/2012] [Accepted: 09/20/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Over the course of our lives, humans are colonized by a tremendous diversity of commensal microbes, which comprise the human microbiome. The collective genetic potential (metagenome) of the human microbiome is orders of magnitude more than the human genome, and it profoundly affects human health and disease in ways we are only beginning to understand. Advances in computing and high-throughput sequencing have enabled population-level surveys such as MetaHIT and the recently released Human Microbiome Project, detailed investigations of the microbiome in human disease, and mechanistic studies employing gnotobiotic model organisms. The resulting knowledge of human microbiome composition, function, and range of variation across multiple body sites has begun to assemble a rich picture of commensal host-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions as well as their roles in human health and disease and their potential as diagnostic and therapeutic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xochitl C Morgan
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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19
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Rose WA, McGowin CL, Spagnuolo RA, Eaves-Pyles TD, Popov VL, Pyles RB. Commensal bacteria modulate innate immune responses of vaginal epithelial cell multilayer cultures. PLoS One 2012; 7:e32728. [PMID: 22412914 PMCID: PMC3296736 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0032728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2011] [Accepted: 02/01/2012] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The human vaginal microbiome plays a critical but poorly defined role in reproductive health. Vaginal microbiome alterations are associated with increased susceptibility to sexually-transmitted infections (STI) possibly due to related changes in innate defense responses from epithelial cells. Study of the impact of commensal bacteria on the vaginal mucosal surface has been hindered by current vaginal epithelial cell (VEC) culture systems that lack an appropriate interface between the apical surface of stratified squamous epithelium and the air-filled vaginal lumen. Therefore we developed a reproducible multilayer VEC culture system with an apical (luminal) air-interface that supported colonization with selected commensal bacteria. Multilayer VEC developed tight-junctions and other hallmarks of the vaginal mucosa including predictable proinflammatory cytokine secretion following TLR stimulation. Colonization of multilayers by common vaginal commensals including Lactobacillus crispatus, L. jensenii, and L. rhamnosus led to intimate associations with the VEC exclusively on the apical surface. Vaginal commensals did not trigger cytokine secretion but Staphylococcus epidermidis, a skin commensal, was inflammatory. Lactobacilli reduced cytokine secretion in an isolate-specific fashion following TLR stimulation. This tempering of inflammation offers a potential explanation for increased susceptibility to STI in the absence of common commensals and has implications for testing of potential STI preventatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- William A. Rose
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Glaveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Chris L. McGowin
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Glaveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Rae Ann Spagnuolo
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Tonyia D. Eaves-Pyles
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Glaveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Vsevolod L. Popov
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Glaveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Richard B. Pyles
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Glaveston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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20
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MacManes MD. Promiscuity in mice is associated with increased vaginal bacterial diversity. Naturwissenschaften 2011; 98:951-60. [PMID: 21964973 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-011-0848-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2011] [Revised: 09/11/2011] [Accepted: 09/12/2011] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Differences in the number of sexual partners (i.e., mating system) have the potential to exert a strong influence on the bacterial communities present in reproductive structures like the vagina. Because this structure serves as a conduit for gametes, bacteria present there may have a pronounced, direct effect on host reproductive success. As a first step towards the identification of the relationship between sexual behavior and potentially pathogenic bacterial communities inhabiting vital reproductive structures, as well as their potential effects on fitness, I sought to quantify differences in bacterial diversity in a promiscuous and monogamous mammal species. To accomplish this, I used two sympatric species of Peromyscus rodents--Peromyscus californicus and Peromyscus maniculatus that differ with regard to the number of sexual partners per individual to test the hypothesis that bacterial diversity should be greater in the promiscuous P. maniculatus relative to the monogamous P. californicus. As predicted, phylogenetically controlled and operational taxonomic unit-based indices of bacterial diversity indicated that diversity is greater in the promiscuous species. These results provide important new insights into the effects of mating system on bacterial diversity in free-living vertebrates, and may suggest a potential cost of promiscuity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew David MacManes
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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21
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22
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White BA, Gomez AM, Ho M, Berg Miller M, Thomas SM, Yeoman CJ, Yildirim S, Creedon DJ, Goldberg TL, Leigh SR, Nelson KE, Stumpf RM, Wilson BA. Comparative analysis of the vaginal microbiome in health and disease. Genome Biol 2011. [PMCID: PMC3439058 DOI: 10.1186/gb-2011-12-s1-i17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Bryan A White
- The Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA,Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA,Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Andres M Gomez
- The Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA,Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Mengfei Ho
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Margret Berg Miller
- The Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Susan M Thomas
- The Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Carl J Yeoman
- The Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Suleyman Yildirim
- The Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Douglas J Creedon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Tony L Goldberg
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Steven R Leigh
- The Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA,Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | | | - Rebecca M Stumpf
- The Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA,Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Brenda A Wilson
- The Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA,Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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