Abstract
The aging of the organism is a complex and multifactorial process. It can be viewed in the context of the whole organism, but also of individual tissues and organs. The problem of vaginal aging and the related genitourinary syndrome of menopause significantly reduces the quality of women’s lives. The aging process of the vagina includes estrogen deficiencies, changes in the microbiome, and changes at the genetic level associated with DNA methylation. During the menopause, the number of Lactobacillus colonies decreases, and the number of pathological bacteria colonies increases. The decrease in estrogen levels results in a decrease in vaginal epithelial permeability, perfusion, and elastin levels, resulting in vaginal dryness and atrophy. Changes at the molecular level are the least clear. It can also be assumed that, similarly to the tissues studied so far, there are changes in cytosine methylation and TET (ten-eleven translocation) expression. The interrelationships between DNA methylation, hormonal changes, and the vaginal microbiome have not yet been fully elucidated.
Highlights
The aging of the organism is an extremely complex and multifactorial process
There is a likelihood of a beneficial effect of estrogens on the expression of lysyl oxidase (LOX) and LOX-like proteins, which catalyze the polymerization of tropoelastin monomers to elastin
It can be assumed that one of the causes of vaginal atrophy may be an estrogen deficiency resulting from the aging expression of lysyl oxidase (LOX) and LOX-like proteins, which catalyze the polymerization of tropoelastin monomers to elastin
Summary
The aging of the organism is an extremely complex and multifactorial process. It consists of changes at the genetic, hormonal, and immunological levels. The vaginal microbiome is dependent on estrogen levels. It has been proven that DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) methylation is associated with the aging process [1,2]. It can be presumed that the processes of DNA methylation and demethylation in the vagina will have a specific course, and that the molecular processes of vaginal aging involve the cycle of dependence with the influence of estrogens and the microbiome.
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