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Abstract
This study explores the protective role of cervicovaginal mucus in maintaining vaginal health, particularly in relation to bacterial vaginosis (BV), using organ chip technology. By integrating human Cervix and Vagina Chips, we demonstrated that cervical mucus significantly reduces inflammation and epithelial damage caused by a dysbiotic microbiome commonly associated with BV. Proteomic analysis of the Vagina Chip, following exposure to mucus from the Cervix Chip, revealed differentially abundant proteins, suggesting potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for BV management. Our findings highlight the essential function of cervical mucus in preserving vaginal health and underscore the value of organ chip models for studying complex interactions within the female reproductive tract. This research provides new insights into the mechanisms underlying vaginal dysbiosis and opens avenues for developing targeted therapies and diagnostic tools to enhance women’s reproductive health.
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1 Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, USA; Rambam Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IVF Unit, Haifa, Israel (GRID:grid.413731.3) (ISNI:0000 0000 9950 8111); Rambam Health Care Campus, Clinical Research Institute at Rambam (CRIR), Haifa, Israel (GRID:grid.413731.3) (ISNI:0000 0000 9950 8111)
2 Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, USA (GRID:grid.413731.3)
3 Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, USA (GRID:grid.413731.3); Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Vascular Biology Program and Department of Surgery, Boston, USA (GRID:grid.2515.3) (ISNI:0000 0004 0378 8438); Harvard University, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Cambridge, USA (GRID:grid.38142.3c) (ISNI:0000 0004 1936 754X)