Interleukin-36γ Is Elevated in Cervicovaginal Epithelial Cells in Women With Bacterial Vaginosis and In Vitro After Infection With Microbes Associated With Bacterial Vaginosis

J Infect Dis. 2020 Mar 2;221(6):983-988. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiz514.

Abstract

In recent studies, the interleukin (IL)-36 cytokines were shown to be elevated in women with non-Lactobacillus-dominated vaginal microbiomes. In this study, we evaluated IL36G expression in clinical samples from women with and without bacterial vaginosis (BV) and a human 3-dimensional cervical epithelial cell model. IL36G expression was significantly elevated in cervicovaginal epithelial cells isolated from BV-positive women and corresponded with increased neutrophil counts relative to BV-negative women. In addition, specific BV-associated bacterial species as well as a polymicrobial cocktail significantly induced IL36G expression in vitro. These findings suggest that IL-36γ may exhibit an important function in the host response to BV and other sexually transmitted infections.

Keywords: Atopobium vaginae; Gardnerella vaginalis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Bacteria
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cervix Uteri
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism*
  • Epithelial Cells / microbiology
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation / immunology
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-1 / genetics
  • Interleukin-1 / metabolism*
  • Neutrophils
  • Vagina / cytology
  • Vaginosis, Bacterial / metabolism*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • IL36G protein, human
  • Interleukin-1