The Impact of the Vaginal Microbiome on Vaginal Epithelial Wound Healing

Abstract The human microbiome has been shown to be an important player in a variety of health outcomes. Within the female genital tract specifically, clinical data has shown an association between bacterial vaginosis-associated anaerobes and postoperative infections after pelvic surgery. This study investigates vaginal epithelial healing when exposed to conditioned media from commensal Lactobacillus spp. and BV-associated spp. using an in vitro model. We demonstrated improved wound healing when exposed to Lactobacillus conditioned media when compared to that of pathogenic bacteria. These differences in wound healing corresponded to increased levels of CM-CSF, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, TNF-a, and VEGF as well as decreased levels of IL-1B and IFN-γ. These findings suggest an important role for the vaginal microbiome in tissue healing potentially mediated by modifiable immunologic markers.