Pre- and postmenopausal women have different core urinary microbiota

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Microbiology
• Women's Health

Background:

• Alterations in the female urinary microbiota are linked to bladder disease.
• The composition of the normal urinary microbiota in healthy women is not well understood.
• Hormonal changes during menopause and their effect on the urinary microbiota require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the urinary microbiota composition in healthy premenopausal and postmenopausal women.
• To understand variations in urinary microbiota related to menopausal status.
• To identify potential differences in urotypes between pre- and postmenopausal women.

Main Methods:

• 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to map microbiota composition.
• Urine samples were collected from healthy pre- and postmenopausal women without urinary tract symptoms.
• Statistical analysis was performed on samples from 34 premenopausal and 20 postmenopausal women after exclusions.

Main Results:

• Postmenopausal women displayed significantly higher alpha diversity in their urinary microbiota compared to premenopausal women.
• Lactobacillus was the most abundant bacteria in both groups.
• The relative abundance of Lactobacillus was 77.8% in premenopausal women versus 42.0% in postmenopausal women, with increased Gardnerella and Prevotella in the latter.

Conclusions:

• Premenopausal women's urine typically features Lactobacillus-dominated urotypes.
• Postmenopausal women exhibit a more diverse urinary microbiota.
• The clinical and pathophysiological significance of these observed differences in urinary microbiota between pre- and postmenopausal women warrants further research.