Pregnancy associates with alterations to the host and microbial proteome in vaginal mucosa.

ABSTRACT: PROBLEM:Pregnant women are at increased risk of HIV acquisition, but the biological mechanisms contributing to this observation are not well understood. METHOD OF STUDY:Here, we assessed host immune and microbiome differences in the vaginal mucosa of healthy pregnant and non-pregnant women using a metaproteomics approach. Cervicovaginal lavage (CVL) samples were collected from 23 pregnant and 25 non-pregnant women. RESULTS:Mass spectrometry analysis of CVL identified 550 human proteins and 376 bacterial proteins from 11 genera. Host proteome analysis indicated 56 human proteins (10%) were differentially abundant (P < .05) between pregnant and non-pregnant women, including proteins involved in angiogenesis (P = 3.36E-3), cell movement of phagocytes (P = 1.34E-6), and permeability of blood vessels (P = 1.27E-4). The major bacterial genera identified were Lactobacillus, Gardnerella, Prevotella, Megasphaera, and Atopobium. Pregnant women had higher levels of Lactobacillus species (P = .017) compared with non-pregnant women. Functional pathway analysis indicated that pregnancy associated with changes to bacterial metabolic pathway involved in energy metabolism, which were increased in pregnant women (P = .035). CONCLUSION:Overall, pregnant women showed differences in the cervicovaginal proteome and microbiome that may be important for HIV infection risk.

SUBMITTER: Farr Zuend C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7317380 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature