Protease activities of vaginal Porphyromonas species disrupt coagulation and extracellular matrix in the cervicovaginal niche.

ABSTRACT: Porphyromonas asaccharolytica and Porphyromonas uenonis are common inhabitants of the vaginal microbiome, but their presence has been linked to adverse health outcomes for women, including bacterial vaginosis and preterm birth. However, little is known about the pathogenesis mechanisms of these bacteria. The related oral opportunistic pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis, is comparatively well-studied and known to secrete numerous extracellular matrix-targeting proteases. Among these are the gingipain family of cysteine proteases that drive periodontal disease progression and hematogenic transmission to the placenta. In this study, we demonstrate that vaginal Porphyromonas species secrete broad-acting proteases capable of freely diffusing within the cervicovaginal niche. These proteases degr

SUBMITTER: Lithgow KV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8861167 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature