Abstract
ObjectiveFemale genital tract secretions inhibit E. coli ex vivo and the activity may prevent colonization and provide a biomarker of a healthy microbiome. We hypothesized that high E. coli inhibitory activity would be associated with a Lactobacillus crispatus and/or jensenii dominant microbiome and differ from that of women with low inhibitory activity.Study DesignVaginal swab cell pellets from 20 samples previously obtained in a cross-sectional study of near-term pregnant and non-pregnant healthy women were selected based on having high (>90% inhibition) or low (<20% inhibition) anti-E. coli activity. The V6 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene was amplified and sequenced using the Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform. Filtered culture supernatants from Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus iners, and Gardnerella vaginalis were also assayed for E. coli inhibitory activity.ResultsSixteen samples (10 with high and 6 with low activity) yielded evaluable microbiome data. There was no difference in the predominant microbiome species in pregnant compared to non-pregnant women (n = 8 each). However, there were significant differences between women with high compared to low E. coli inhibitory activity. High activity was associated with a predominance of L. crispatus (p<0.007) and culture supernatants from L. crispatus exhibited greater E. coli inhibitory activity compared to supernatants obtained from L. iners or G. vaginalis. Notably, the E. coli inhibitory activity varied among different strains of L. crispatus. ConclusionMicrobiome communities with abundant L. crispatus likely contribute to the E. coli inhibitory activity of vaginal secretions and efforts to promote this environment may prevent E. coli colonization and related sequelae including preterm birth.
Highlights
Preterm birth is a major health problem affecting 12.3% of live births and is a major cause of neonatal mortality [1,2]
High activity was associated with a predominance of L. crispatus (p,0.007) and culture supernatants from L. crispatus exhibited greater E. coli inhibitory activity compared to supernatants obtained from L. iners or G. vaginalis
The E. coli inhibitory activity varied among different strains of L. crispatus
Summary
Preterm birth is a major health problem affecting 12.3% of live births and is a major cause of neonatal mortality [1,2]. Bacterial vaginosis (BV), a dysbiotic condition characterized by the replacement of a Lactobacillus crispatus (L. crispatus) predominant microbiome with anaerobic species [6,7], has been linked to an increased risk of preterm birth, treatment with antibiotics in late pregnancy was ineffective [8,9,10]. These findings indicate that the vaginal microbiome plays an important role in adverse pregnancy outcomes. Earlier studies showed that the E. coli inhibitory activity was reduced among non-pregnant women with
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