title: Using an in-vitro biofilm model to assess the virulence potential of bacterial vaginosis or non-bacterial vaginosis Gardnerella vaginalis isolates.
abstract: Gardnerella vaginalis is the most common species found in bacterial vaginosis (BV). However, it is also present in a significant proportion of healthy women and G. vaginalis vaginal colonization does not always lead to BV. In an effort to better understand the differences between G. vaginalis isolated from women with a positive (BV) versus a negative (non-BV) diagnosis of BV, we compared the virulence potential of 7 BV and 7 non-BV G. vaginalis isolates and assessed the virulence factors related to biofilm formation, namely: initial adhesion and cytotoxic effect, biofilm accumulation, susceptibility to antibiotics, and transcript levels of the known vaginolysin, and sialidase genes. Furthermore, we also determined the ability of G. vaginalis to displace lactobacilli previously adhered to HeLa cells. Our results showed that non-BV strains were less virulent than BV strains, as suggested by the lower cytotoxicity and initial adhesion to Hela cells. Significant differences in expression of known virulence genes were also detected, further suggesting a higher virulence potential of the BV associated G. vaginalis. Importantly, we demonstrated that BV associated G. vaginalis were able to displace pre-coated vaginal protective lactobacilli and we hypothesize this to be a trigger for BV development.
authors.affiliation: 1] Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO - Laboratory of Research in Biofilms Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal [2] Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua de Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.affiliation: Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO - Laboratory of Research in Biofilms Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO - Laboratory of Research in Biofilms Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cármen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO - Laboratory of Research in Biofilms Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cereija
authors.affiliation: Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO - Laboratory of Research in Biofilms Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ângela
authors.initials: Â
authors.lastname: França
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1201 E Marshall St, Richmond, VA 23298-0678c, USA.
authors.forename: Kimberly K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Jefferson
authors.affiliation: Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO - Laboratory of Research in Biofilms Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cerca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000898:Antibiosis / Q000502:physiology; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D005260:Female; D006194:Gardnerella vaginalis / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D006367:HeLa Cells; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000502:physiology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology*; D014774:Virulence; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; C542392:vaginolysin, Gardnerella vaginalis; D009439:Neuraminidase