Project description:The hormonal contraceptive medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) is associated with increased risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), via incompletely understood mechanisms. Increased diversity in the vaginal microbiota modulates genital inflammation and is associated with increased HIV-1 acquisition. However, the effect of MPA on diversity of the vaginal microbiota is relatively unknown. In a cohort of female Kenyan sex workers, negative for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), with Nugent scores <7 (N=58 of 370 screened), MPA correlated with significantly increased diversity of the vaginal microbiota as assessed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. MPA was also significantly associated with decreased levels of estrogen in the plasma, and low vaginal glycogen and α-amylase, factors implicated in vaginal colonization by lactobacilli, bacteria that are believed to protect against STIs. In a humanized mouse model, MPA treatment was associated with low serum estrogen, low glycogen and enhanced HIV-1 susceptibility. The mechanism by which the MPA mediated changes in the vaginal microbiota may contribute to HIV-1 susceptibility in humans appears to be independent of inflammatory cytokines and/or activated T cells. Altogether, these results suggest MPA-induced hypo-estrogenism may alter key metabolic components that are necessary for vaginal colonization by certain bacterial species including lactobacilli, and allow for greater bacterial diversity in the vaginal microbiota.
Project description:In MTN-007, a phase 1, randomized, double-blinded rectal microbicide trial, we used systems genomics/proteomics to determine the effect of tenofovir 1% gel, nonoxynol-9 2% gel, placebo gel or no treatment on rectal biopsies taken at baseline, after one application or after seven daily applications (15 subjects/arm). Experiments were repeated using primary vaginal epithelial cells from four healthy women. 36 Arrays (3 primary vaginal epithelial cell lines from healthy women donors, cultured with or without 50uM or 500 uM Tenofovir for 1,4,7, or 14 days per donor cell line. A no treatment, culture media only control was included for each donor cell line and for each time point.
Project description:In MTN-007, a phase 1, randomized, double-blinded rectal microbicide trial, we used systems genomics/proteomics to determine the effect of tenofovir 1% gel, nonoxynol-9 2% gel, placebo gel or no treatment on rectal biopsies taken at baseline, after one application or after seven daily applications (15 subjects/arm). Experiments were repeated using primary vaginal epithelial cells from four healthy women.
Project description:In MTN-007, a phase 1, randomized, double-blinded rectal microbicide trial, we used systems genomics/proteomics to determine the effect of tenofovir 1% gel, nonoxynol-9 2% gel, placebo gel or no treatment on rectal biopsies taken at baseline, after one application or after seven daily applications (15 subjects/arm). Experiments were repeated using primary vaginal epithelial cells from four healthy women.
Project description:In MTN-007, a phase 1, randomized, double-blinded rectal microbicide trial, we used systems genomics/proteomics to determine the effect of tenofovir 1% gel, nonoxynol-9 2% gel, placebo gel or no treatment on rectal biopsies taken at baseline, after one application or after seven daily applications (15 subjects/arm). Experiments were repeated using primary vaginal epithelial cells from four healthy women. 192 Arrays (8 donors per treatment group, 2 biopsy sites per donor (9cm and 15 cm), biopsies taken at baseline, after a single application, and after 7 daily applications)
Project description:A lactobacilli dominated microbiota in most pre and post-menopausal women is an indicator of vaginal health. A Nugent scoring system serves as a proxy for determining the ratio of lactobacilli to other vaginal inhabitants where a high score usually represents a diseased state, whilst an intermediate score represents a warning zone. The objective of this double blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study was to evaluate in 14 post-menopausal women with an intermediate score, the effect of vaginal administration of probiotic L. rhamnosus GR-1 and L. reuteri RC-14 on the microbiota and host response. The probiotic treatment did not result in changes to clinical parameters such as dryness, irritation and comfort, compared to when placebo was applied. Analysis using 16S rRNA sequencing and metabolomics profiling revealed that the proportional abundance of Lactobacillus was increased following probiotic administration as compared to placebo, which was weakly associated with an increase in lactate levels. Analysis of host responses by microarray showed the probiotics had an immune-modulatory response and multiplex cytokine analysis showed up-regulation of IL-5. This is the first study to use an interactomic approach for the study of vaginal probiotic administration in post-menopausal women. It shows that in some cases multifaceted approaches are required to detect the subtle trigger molecular changes induced by the host to instillation of probiotic strains. A total of 35 total RNA samples extracted from vaginal brushes were analyzed on Affymetrix Gene 2.0 ST arrays from 14 Participants collected over multiple visits including administration of either a probiotic supplement or placebo control.
Project description:Bacterial vaginosis (BV), a common syndrome characterized by Lactobacillus-deficient vaginal microbiota, is associated with adverse health outcomes. BV often recurs after standard antibiotic therapy in part because antibiotics promote microbiota dominance by Lactobacillus iners instead of Lactobacillus crispatus, which has more beneficial health associations. Strategies to promote L. crispatus and inhibit L. iners are thus needed. We show that oleic acid (OA) and similar long-chain fatty acids simultaneously inhibit L. iners and enhance L. crispatus growth. These phenotypes require OA-inducible genes conserved in L. crispatus and related lactobacilli, including an oleate hydratase (ohyA) and putative fatty acid efflux pump (farE). FarE mediates OA resistance, while OhyA is robustly active in the vaginal microbiota and enhances bacterial fitness by biochemically sequestering OA in a derivative form only ohyA-harboring organisms can exploit. OA promotes L. crispatus dominance more effectively than antibiotics in an in vitro BV model, suggesting a metabolite-based treatment approach.
Project description:The study proposes the characterization of the intestinal and vaginal microbiota in long-term radiated cervical and endometrial cancer survivors to study the association with long-term radiotherapy side effects.
Project description:A lactobacilli dominated microbiota in most pre and post-menopausal women is an indicator of vaginal health. A Nugent scoring system serves as a proxy for determining the ratio of lactobacilli to other vaginal inhabitants where a high score usually represents a diseased state, whilst an intermediate score represents a warning zone. The objective of this double blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study was to evaluate in 14 post-menopausal women with an intermediate score, the effect of vaginal administration of probiotic L. rhamnosus GR-1 and L. reuteri RC-14 on the microbiota and host response. The probiotic treatment did not result in changes to clinical parameters such as dryness, irritation and comfort, compared to when placebo was applied. Analysis using 16S rRNA sequencing and metabolomics profiling revealed that the proportional abundance of Lactobacillus was increased following probiotic administration as compared to placebo, which was weakly associated with an increase in lactate levels. Analysis of host responses by microarray showed the probiotics had an immune-modulatory response and multiplex cytokine analysis showed up-regulation of IL-5. This is the first study to use an interactomic approach for the study of vaginal probiotic administration in post-menopausal women. It shows that in some cases multifaceted approaches are required to detect the subtle trigger molecular changes induced by the host to instillation of probiotic strains.
Project description:Bacterial vaginosis (BV) treatment failures or recurrences are common. To identify features associated with treatment response, we compared vaginal microbiota and host ectocervical transcriptome before and after oral metronidazole therapy. Response to metronidazole is characterized by significant changes in chemokines and related transcripts suggesting that strategies to promote these pathways may prove beneficial.