Herbst-Kralovetz Melissa M, Pyles Richard B, Ratner Adam J, Sycuro Laura K, Mitchell Caroline
Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix.
Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston.
J Infect Dis. 2016 Aug 15;214 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S6-S13. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiw130.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) affects almost a quarter of US women, making it a condition of major public health relevance. Key questions remain regarding the etiology of BV, mechanisms for its association with poor reproductive health outcomes, and reasons for high rates of treatment failure. New model systems are required to answer these remaining questions, elucidate the complex host-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions, and develop new, effective interventions. In this review, we cover the strengths and limitations of in vitro and in vivo model systems to study these complex intercellular interactions. Furthermore, we discuss advancements needed to maximize the translational utility of the model systems. As no single model can recapitulate all of the complex physiological and environmental conditions of the human vaginal microenvironment, we conclude that combinatorial approaches using in vitro and in vivo model systems will be required to address the remaining fundamental questions surrounding the enigma that is BV.
细菌性阴道病（BV）影响了近四分之一的美国女性，使其成为一个具有重大公共卫生意义的病症。关于BV的病因、其与不良生殖健康结果相关的机制以及治疗失败率高的原因，关键问题仍然存在。需要新的模型系统来回答这些遗留问题，阐明复杂的宿主 - 微生物和微生物 - 微生物相互作用，并开发新的有效干预措施。在本综述中，我们涵盖了体外和体内模型系统在研究这些复杂细胞间相互作用方面的优势和局限性。此外，我们讨论了最大化模型系统转化效用所需的进展。由于没有单一模型能够概括人类阴道微环境的所有复杂生理和环境条件，我们得出结论，需要使用体外和体内模型系统的组合方法来解决围绕BV这一谜团的其余基本问题。
