The association between obesity and weight loss after bariatric surgery on the vaginal microbiota

Raglan, Olivia; MacIntyre, David A.; Mitra, Anita; Lee, Yun S.; Smith, Ann; Assi, Nada; Nautiyal, Jaya; Purkayastha, Sanjay; Gunter, Marc J.; Gabra, Hani; Marchesi, Julian R.; Bennett, Phillip R.; Kyrgiou, Maria

Abstract

Background: Obesity and vaginal microbiome (VMB) dysbiosis are each risk factors for adverse reproductive and oncological health outcomes in women. Here, we investigated the relationship between obesity, vaginal bacterial composition, local inflammation and bariatric surgery. Methods: Vaginal bacterial composition assessed by high-throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes and local cytokine levels measured using a multiplexed Magnetic Luminex Screening Assay were compared between 67 obese and 42 non-obese women. We further assessed temporal changes in the microbiota and cytokines in a subset of 27 women who underwent bariatric surgery. Results: The bacterial component of the vaginal microbiota in obese women was characterised by a lower prevalence of a Lactobacillus-dominant VMB and higher prevalence of a high diversity (Lactobacillus spp., and Gardnerella- spp. depleted) VMB, compared with non-obese subjects (p

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 21, 2021
• Online Publication Date: May 28, 2021
• Publication Date: 2021-12
• Deposit Date: Sep 29, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 30, 2021
• Journal: Microbiome
• Electronic ISSN: 2049-2618
• Publisher: BioMed Central
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 9
• Issue: 1
• Article Number: 124
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-021-01011-2
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/7490617
• Additional Information: Received: 26 May 2020; Accepted: 2 February 2021; First Online: 28 May 2021; : ; : Ethical approval was obtained from the National Research Ethics Service Committee London—Fulham (approval number 13/LO/0126) and the NHS West of Scotland Research Ethics Service Committee (WoSRES) (REC 14/WS/1098). All patients gave informed consent.; : Where individual patient data is included, all patients provided informed consent.; : The authors declare no competing interests.