The transcriptional response of prostate cells to infection with Trichomonas vaginalis and Mycoplasma hominis

The sexually transmitted parasite Trichomonas vaginalis is often found in symbiosis with the obligate intracellular pathogen Mycoplasma hominis. M. hominis is itself an opportunistic pathogen of the female reproductive tract associated with bacterial vaginosis. The goal of this experiment was to identify the effects of each pathogen individually and in symbiosis on host cell gene expression. Overall design: To investigate the effects of infection with T. vaginalis, M. hominis, and T. vaginalis in symbiosis with M. hominis on host cell gene expression we infected prostate derived cells (BPH-1s) with either T. vaginalis alone, M. hominis alone, the same strain of T. vaginalis (B7RC2) in symbiosis with M. hominis or mock infected for 6 hours (MOI=1) prior to RNA isolation and sequencing.