IgG coating of Lactobacillus crispatus is associated with cervicovaginal immune homeostasis and reduced preterm birth rates, identifying S-layer proteins as candidate antibody targets
Abstract
Background: Maternal host immune system responses to cervicovaginal microbiota influence the risk of microbial-driven spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB). Immunoglobulins are present in cervicovaginal fluid (CVF). There are decreased IgG concentrations in women with CST I compared to CST IV, but their role in sPTB is unclear. Here, we investigate immunoglobulin coating of vaginal bacteria in 100 women at high-risk of sPTB (48 sPTB vs 53 term).
Results: Lactobacillus -dominated communities, especially L. crispatus -dominated, had higher proportions of IgG coating than high diversity, Lactobacillus -depleted communities. There was a positive correlation between IgG and IgG2 coating, indicating IgG2 was the main bound subclass. The percentage of bacterial coating by IgG and IgG2 was higher in women who delivered at term compared to preterm, and IgG coating negatively correlated with concentrations of CVF pro-inflammatory immune mediators. IgG and IgG2 both bound to L. crispatus surface layer proteins (SLPs), identifying SLPs as potential targets of antibody binding associated with immune homeostasis and term birth.
Conclusions: Our results reveal an association between vaginal bacterial antibody coating and mucosal microbe-immune homeostasis with reduced cervicovaginal inflammation and term birth. These represent a potential component of host-microbe interactions associated with pregnancy outcome.
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BibTeX
@article{gimenomolina2026coating,
title = {{IgG coating of Lactobacillus crispatus is associated with cervicovaginal immune homeostasis and reduced preterm birth rates, identifying S-layer proteins as candidate antibody targets}},
author = {Belen Gimeno-Molina and Alexiane Decout and Ryan L. Love and Yun S. Lee and Sherrianne Ng and Zalish Malik and Denise Chan and Lauren A. Roberts and Sadhana Bura and Katherine E. Mountain and Erna Bayar and Anna L. David and Vasso Terzidou and Julian R. Marchesi and David A. MacIntyre and Phillip R. Bennett and Maria Carmen Collado and Lynne Sykes},
journal = {Microbiome},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1186/s40168-026-02549-9},
url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40168-026-02549-9},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - IgG coating of Lactobacillus crispatus is associated with cervicovaginal immune homeostasis and reduced preterm birth rates, identifying S-layer proteins as candidate antibody targets
AU - Belen Gimeno-Molina
AU - Alexiane Decout
AU - Ryan L. Love
AU - Yun S. Lee
AU - Sherrianne Ng
AU - Zalish Malik
AU - Denise Chan
AU - Lauren A. Roberts
AU - Sadhana Bura
AU - Katherine E. Mountain
AU - Erna Bayar
AU - Anna L. David
AU - Vasso Terzidou
AU - Julian R. Marchesi
AU - David A. MacIntyre
AU - Phillip R. Bennett
AU - Maria Carmen Collado
AU - Lynne Sykes
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/19
JO - Microbiome
DO - 10.1186/s40168-026-02549-9
UR - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40168-026-02549-9
AB - Background: Maternal host immune system responses to cervicovaginal microbiota influence the risk of microbial-driven spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB). Immunoglobulins are present in cervicovaginal fluid (CVF). There are decreased IgG concentrations in women with CST I compared to CST IV, but their role in sPTB is unclear. Here, we investigate immunoglobulin coating of vaginal bacteria in 100 women at high-risk of sPTB (48 sPTB vs 53 term). Results: Lactobacillus -dominated communities, especially L. crispatus -dominated, had higher proportions of IgG coating than high diversity, Lactobacillus -depleted communities. There was a positive correlation between IgG and IgG2 coating, indicating IgG2 was the main bound subclass. The percentage of bacterial coating by IgG and IgG2 was higher in women who delivered at term compared to preterm, and IgG coating negatively correlated with concentrations of CVF pro-inflammatory immune mediators. IgG and IgG2 both bound to L. crispatus surface layer proteins (SLPs), identifying SLPs as potential targets of antibody binding associated with immune homeostasis and term birth. Conclusions: Our results reveal an association between vaginal bacterial antibody coating and mucosal microbe-immune homeostasis with reduced cervicovaginal inflammation and term birth. These represent a potential component of host-microbe interactions associated with pregnancy outcome.
SN - 2049-2618
ER -