The vagina contains at least a billion microbial cells,dominated by lactobacilli.Here we perform metagenomic shotgun sequencing on cervical and fecal samples from a cohort of 516 Chinese women of reproductive age,as w...The vagina contains at least a billion microbial cells,dominated by lactobacilli.Here we perform metagenomic shotgun sequencing on cervical and fecal samples from a cohort of 516 Chinese women of reproductive age,as well as cervical,fecal,and salivary samples from a second cohort of 632 women.Factors such as pregnancy history,delivery history,cesarean section,and breastfeeding were all more important than menstrual cycle in shaping the microbiome,and such information would be necessary before trying to interpret differences between vagino-cervical microbiome data.Greater proportion of Bifidobacterium breve was seen with older age at sexual debut.The relative abundance of lactobacilli especially Lactobacillus crispatus was negatively associated with pregnancy history.Potential markers for lack of menstrual regularity,heavy flow,dysmenorrhea,and contraceptives were also identified.Lactobacilli were rare during breastfeeding or post-menopause.Other features such as mood fluctuations and facial speckles could potentially be predicted from the vagino-cervical microbiome.Gut and salivary microbiomes,plasma vitamins,metals,amino acids,and hormones showed associations with the vagino-cervical microbiome.Our results offer an unprecedented glimpse into the microbiota of the female reproductive tract and call for international collaborations to better understand its long-term health impact other than in the settings of infection or pre-term birth.展开更多
The vaginal microbiota is less complex than the gut microbiota,and the colonization of Lactobacillus in the female vagina is considered to be critical for reproductive health.Oral probiotics have been suggested as pro...The vaginal microbiota is less complex than the gut microbiota,and the colonization of Lactobacillus in the female vagina is considered to be critical for reproductive health.Oral probiotics have been suggested as promising means to modulate vaginal homeostasis in the general population.In this study,60 Chinese women were followed for over a year before,during,and after treatment with the probiotics Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14.Shotgun metagenomic data of 1334 samples from multiple body sites did not support a colonization route of the probiotics from the oral cavity to the intestinal tract and then to the vagina.Our analyses enable the classification of the cervicovaginal microbiome into a stable state and a state of dysbiosis.The microbiome in the stable group steadily maintained a relatively high abundance of Lactobacilli over one year,which was not affected by probiotic intake,whereas in the dysbiosis group,the microbiota was more diverse and changed markedly over time.Data from a subset of the dysbiosis group suggests this subgroup possibly benefited from supplementation with the probiotics,indicating that probiotics supplementation can be prescribed for women in a subclinical microbiome setting of dysbiosis,providing opportunities for targeted and personalized microbiome reconstitution.展开更多
文摘The vagina contains at least a billion microbial cells,dominated by lactobacilli.Here we perform metagenomic shotgun sequencing on cervical and fecal samples from a cohort of 516 Chinese women of reproductive age,as well as cervical,fecal,and salivary samples from a second cohort of 632 women.Factors such as pregnancy history,delivery history,cesarean section,and breastfeeding were all more important than menstrual cycle in shaping the microbiome,and such information would be necessary before trying to interpret differences between vagino-cervical microbiome data.Greater proportion of Bifidobacterium breve was seen with older age at sexual debut.The relative abundance of lactobacilli especially Lactobacillus crispatus was negatively associated with pregnancy history.Potential markers for lack of menstrual regularity,heavy flow,dysmenorrhea,and contraceptives were also identified.Lactobacilli were rare during breastfeeding or post-menopause.Other features such as mood fluctuations and facial speckles could potentially be predicted from the vagino-cervical microbiome.Gut and salivary microbiomes,plasma vitamins,metals,amino acids,and hormones showed associations with the vagino-cervical microbiome.Our results offer an unprecedented glimpse into the microbiota of the female reproductive tract and call for international collaborations to better understand its long-term health impact other than in the settings of infection or pre-term birth.
文摘The vaginal microbiota is less complex than the gut microbiota,and the colonization of Lactobacillus in the female vagina is considered to be critical for reproductive health.Oral probiotics have been suggested as promising means to modulate vaginal homeostasis in the general population.In this study,60 Chinese women were followed for over a year before,during,and after treatment with the probiotics Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14.Shotgun metagenomic data of 1334 samples from multiple body sites did not support a colonization route of the probiotics from the oral cavity to the intestinal tract and then to the vagina.Our analyses enable the classification of the cervicovaginal microbiome into a stable state and a state of dysbiosis.The microbiome in the stable group steadily maintained a relatively high abundance of Lactobacilli over one year,which was not affected by probiotic intake,whereas in the dysbiosis group,the microbiota was more diverse and changed markedly over time.Data from a subset of the dysbiosis group suggests this subgroup possibly benefited from supplementation with the probiotics,indicating that probiotics supplementation can be prescribed for women in a subclinical microbiome setting of dysbiosis,providing opportunities for targeted and personalized microbiome reconstitution.
