Slight Pro-Inflammatory Immunomodulation Properties of Dendritic Cells by Gardnerella vaginalis: The “Invisible Man” of Bacterial Vaginosis?

Figure 5

Cytokine production by human DCs exposed to a range of G. vaginalis, L. reuteri, or C. albicans concentrations. (a, b) TNF-α and IL-10 cytokine production. G. vaginalis induceda slight increase in IL-10 secretion at high doses but no significant production of TNF-α. (c, d) IL-12p70 and IFN-γ cytokine production. G. vaginalis induced no significant production of the 2 cytokines, even at the highest bacteria concentrations. Data are means (+ SD) of measurements from 6 independent experiments, except for C. albicans (3 experiments). Imm-DCs: immature DCs; LPS-DCs: DCs matured by a 48 h exposure to 100 ng/mL E. coli LPS; G. vaginalis, L. reuteri, and C. albicans: DCs matured after a 48 h incubation at different concentrations (10³ to 10⁷ CFU/mL, i.e., MOI = 0.01 to 100) of G. vaginalis, L. reuteri, and C. albicans, respectively. Friedman’s test with Nemenyi’s comparison , , and as compared to the Imm-DCs.

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