Gardnerella vaginalis biofilm

The Gardnerella vaginalis biofilm is a structured, extracellular-polymeric, matrix-embedded aggregate of Gardnerella vaginalis bacteria that forms on the vaginal epithelium. This biofilm acts as a scaffold that enables G. vaginalis to adhere strongly to host tissue, resist antibacterial agents (notably metronidazole and clindamycin), evade immune responses, and facilitate the incorporation of additional anaerobic species implicated in bacterial vaginosis (BV). Biofilm formation is associated with the etiology, persistence, and recurrence of BV, and it renders infections difficult to treat due to intrinsic antimicrobial tolerance. Standard therapies often fail to fully eradicate the biofilm, leading to high relapse rates. The biofilm form may also aid in immune evasion through expression of surface adhesins (including serine-rich-repeat adhesins and collagen-binding proteins). Diagnostic biomarkers such as clue cells and sialidase genes are associated with biofilm presence. Novel therapeutics, such as bacteriophage-derived endolysins and drugs targeting unique bacterial metabolic enzymes, are under investigation to disrupt Gardnerella biofilms and improve treatment outcomes[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9].

Other names

Gardnerella biofilmG. vaginalis biofilmBV-associated biofilm

Inhibition of DNA synthesis (metronidazole, clindamycin); Enzymatic degradation of cell wall (endolysins)[2]; Inhibition of essential metabolic enzymes (e.g., phospho-2-dehydro-3-deoxyheptonate aldolase, by various screened drug-like compounds)[8]