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Cutoiu A, Boda D. An overview regarding the relationship between Mollicutes, infertility and antibiotic resistance (Review). Biomed Rep 2024; 21:119. [PMID: 38938741 PMCID: PMC11209857 DOI: 10.3892/br.2024.1807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Throughout the past decades, physicians have increasingly conferred regarding the role of Mollicutes in infertility in both male and female patients. Although Ureaplasma and Mycoplasma do not represent a leading cause of infertility, whether dermatovenerologists, gynecologists and urologists should not disregard them when screening patients with infertility problems is discussed in the present review. While these infections are completely asymptomatic in ~80% of cases, they do lead to both chronic inflammation of the genital tract and reproductive disorders. Different Mollicute strains and/or serovars, genomic traits and proteomic markers have been examined in order to understand not only the exact mechanism by which they cause infertility, but also their relationship with the worldwide spreading resistance to antibiotics. The current review provided an overview of the latest studies regarding the new findings on the relationship between Mollicutes, infertility and antibiotic resistance. Awareness should be raised among clinicians to screen sexually active adults wishing to conceive who have failed to achieve a pregnancy; in addition, an antibiogram should be performed and treatment should be carried out according to the guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cutoiu
- Department of Dermatology, ‘Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Daniel Boda
- Department of Dermatology, ‘Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Dermatology, ‘Ponderas’ Academic Hospital, 014142 Bucharest, Romania
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Wu LY, Yang TH, Ou YC, Lin H. The role of probiotics in women's health: An update narrative review. Taiwan J Obstet Gynecol 2024; 63:29-36. [PMID: 38216265 DOI: 10.1016/j.tjog.2023.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Probiotics, live microorganisms that confer health benefits to the host when administered in adequate amounts, have gained considerable attention for their potential role in maintaining women's health. This overview summarizes key clinical findings on the beneficial effects of probiotics in various aspects of women's health. Probiotics, particularly Lactobacillus species, contribute to vaginal health by promoting a balanced vaginal microbiome to prevent infections and maintain an acidic environment. In gynecologic conditions, probiotics show potential in preventing and managing bacterial vaginosis, vulvovaginal candidiasis, and sexually transmitted infections. Probiotic supplementation has also been associated with improvements in metabolic parameters and menstrual irregularities in polycystic ovary syndrome patients. During pregnancy, probiotics may be helpful in reducing the risk of gestational diabetes, maternal group B streptococcal colonization, obstetric anemia, and postpartum mastitis. In recent years, the potential role of probiotics in the prevention and management of gynecologic cancer has gained attention. Further research is needed to better understand the specific mechanisms and determine the optimal Lactobacillus strains and dosages regimens for gynecologic cancer prevention and therapy. In conclusion, probiotics offer a non-invasive and cost-effective approach to support women's health and prevent obstetric and gynecologic complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Ying Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Tsai-Hwa Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Che Ou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chia-Yi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chia-Yi, Taiwan
| | - Hao Lin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
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Liu P, Lu Y, Li R, Chen X. Use of probiotic lactobacilli in the treatment of vaginal infections: In vitro and in vivo investigations. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1153894. [PMID: 37077531 PMCID: PMC10106725 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1153894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The vaginal microbiome is a distinct component of the human microbiome that is colonized by a wide variety of microorganisms. Lactobacilli are the most frequently identified microorganisms in the healthy human vagina. These Gram-positive bacilli can acidify the vaginal microenvironment, inhibit the proliferation of other pathogenic microorganisms, and promote the maintenance of a eubiotic vaginal microbiome. However, a vaginal flora with a reduced proportion or abundance of lactobacilli is associated with various vaginal infections that have been linked to serious health consequences such as infertility, preterm birth, pelvic inflammatory disease, premature rupture of membranes, and miscarriage. Due to their “Generally Recognized as Safe” classification and critical role in vaginal health, probiotic lactobacilli have been widely used as an alternative or adjunct to traditional antibiotic therapy for the treatment of vaginal infections and restoration of the vaginal microbiome. This review focuses on the significant role of probiotic lactobacilli in the vaginal microenvironment and discusses the use of probiotic lactobacilli in the treatment of female vaginal infections in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rongguo Li
- *Correspondence: Rongguo Li, ; Xiaodi Chen,
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Mahajan G, Doherty E, To T, Sutherland A, Grant J, Junaid A, Gulati A, LoGrande N, Izadifar Z, Timilsina SS, Horváth V, Plebani R, France M, Hood-Pishchany I, Rakoff-Nahoum S, Kwon DS, Goyal G, Prantil-Baun R, Ravel J, Ingber DE. Vaginal microbiome-host interactions modeled in a human vagina-on-a-chip. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:201. [PMID: 36434666 PMCID: PMC9701078 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01400-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A dominance of non-iners Lactobacillus species in the vaginal microbiome is optimal and strongly associated with gynecological and obstetric health, while the presence of diverse obligate or facultative anaerobic bacteria and a paucity in Lactobacillus species, similar to communities found in bacterial vaginosis (BV), is considered non-optimal and associated with adverse health outcomes. Various therapeutic strategies are being explored to modulate the composition of the vaginal microbiome; however, there is no human model that faithfully reproduces the vaginal epithelial microenvironment for preclinical validation of potential therapeutics or testing hypotheses about vaginal epithelium-microbiome interactions. RESULTS Here, we describe an organ-on-a-chip (organ chip) microfluidic culture model of the human vaginal mucosa (vagina chip) that is lined by hormone-sensitive, primary vaginal epithelium interfaced with underlying stromal fibroblasts, which sustains a low physiological oxygen concentration in the epithelial lumen. We show that the Vagina Chip can be used to assess colonization by optimal L. crispatus consortia as well as non-optimal Gardnerella vaginalis-containing consortia, and to measure associated host innate immune responses. Co-culture and growth of the L. crispatus consortia on-chip was accompanied by maintenance of epithelial cell viability, accumulation of D- and L-lactic acid, maintenance of a physiologically relevant low pH, and down regulation of proinflammatory cytokines. In contrast, co-culture of G. vaginalis-containing consortia in the vagina chip resulted in epithelial cell injury, a rise in pH, and upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates the potential of applying human organ chip technology to create a preclinical model of the human vaginal mucosa that can be used to better understand interactions between the vaginal microbiome and host tissues, as well as to evaluate the safety and efficacy of live biotherapeutics products. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gautam Mahajan
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Present address: Emulate, Inc, 27 Drydock Ave, Boston, MA, 02210, USA
| | - Erin Doherty
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Tania To
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Arlene Sutherland
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jennifer Grant
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Abidemi Junaid
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Aakanksha Gulati
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Nina LoGrande
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Zohreh Izadifar
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Sanjay Sharma Timilsina
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Viktor Horváth
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Roberto Plebani
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Present address: Center on Advanced Studies and Technology, Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, G. d'Annunzio, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Michael France
- Institute for Genome Sciences and Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Indriati Hood-Pishchany
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA
| | - Seth Rakoff-Nahoum
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA
| | - Douglas S Kwon
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Girija Goyal
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Rachelle Prantil-Baun
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jacques Ravel
- Institute for Genome Sciences and Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Donald E Ingber
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Vascular Biology Program and Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
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Lehtoranta L, Ala-Jaakkola R, Laitila A, Maukonen J. Healthy Vaginal Microbiota and Influence of Probiotics Across the Female Life Span. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:819958. [PMID: 35464937 PMCID: PMC9024219 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.819958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaginal microbiota plays a central role in women’s health and reproduction. Vaginal microbiota is dynamic and shaped by hormonal shifts in each stage of a woman’s life from pre-puberty to postmenopause. Current research has mainly focused on vaginal bacterial and fungal members of the community and emphasized their role in disease. However, the impact of balanced vaginal microbiota on health and its interaction with the host is yet poorly understood. High abundance of vaginal lactobacilli is most strongly associated with health, but the concept of health may vary as vaginal dysbiosis may be asymptomatic. Furthermore, there is a lot of variation between ethnic groups in terms of dominating vaginal bacteria. Probiotic lactobacilli could be a safe and natural means to balance and maintain healthy vaginal microbiota. Research evidence is accumulating on their role in supporting women’s health throughout life. This review describes the current literature on vaginal microbiota, the major factors affecting its composition, and how the communities change in different life stages. Furthermore, we focused on reviewing available literature on probiotics and their impact on vaginal microbiota and health.
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