PLoS ONE (Jan 2021)

Cervicovaginal levels of human beta defensins during bacterial vaginosis.

  • Nathalia Mayumi Noda-Nicolau,
  • Mariana de Castro Silva,
  • Giovana Fernanda Cosi Bento,
  • Jeniffer Sena Baptista Ferreira,
  • Juliano Novak,
  • Júlia Andrade Pessoa Morales,
  • Júlia Abbade Tronco,
  • Aline Nascimento Bolpetti,
  • Gabriel Vitor Silva Pinto,
  • Jossimara Polettini,
  • Camila Marconi,
  • Márcia Guimarães da Silva

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260753
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 16, no. 12
p. e0260753

Abstract

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AimsTo compare the cervicovaginal levels of human beta defensin (hBD)-1, 2 and 3 of women according to the status of Nugent-defined bacterial vaginosis (BV).MethodsA total of 634 women of reproductive age were included in the study. Participants were equally distributed in two groups: according to the classification of vaginal smears according to Nugent criteria in normal (scores 0 to 3) and BV (scores ≥7). Cervicovaginal fluid samples were used for measurements of hBDs1, 2 and 3 levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Levels of each hBD were compared between the two study groups using Mann-Whitney test, with p-value ResultsCervicovaginal fluids from women with BV showed lower levels of hBD-1 [median 2,400.00 pg/mL (0-27,800.00); pConclusionsBacterial vaginosis is associated with lower cervicovaginal levels of hBDs1-3 in reproductive-aged women.