Vitamin B2 Production by Vaginal Lactobacilli Promotes Symbiosis
The human vaginal microbiome, particularly with lactobacilli as the main inhabitants, plays a key role in maintaining womens health. While lactic acid-mediated pathogen exclusion is well known, broader metabolic functions of vaginal lactobacilli remain underexplored. In this study, we analyzed the vaginal microbiome and metabolome of 258 healthy women from the Isala program. Using targeted metabolomics analysis, we detected a high prevalence with strong interpersonal differences of most B-vitamins, their precursors, and vitamin A in the vaginal microenvironment. Riboflavin (B2) and biotin (B7) showed strong associations with Lactobacillus crispatus and Limosilactobacillus sp. Comparative genomics, phenotypic assays, and in vivo metatranscriptomic data (VIRGO2) collectively confirmed riboflavin biosynthesis by these taxa. Using a riboflavin overproducing Lim. reuteri as a functional model, we showed that microbially derived riboflavin and its pathway intermediates are transported across the vaginal epithelium and modulate host redox balance, cytokine production, and activation of mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells via induction of MR1 (Major histocompatibility complex, class I-related protein receptor), revealing a potential immunometabolic interface between the vaginal microbiota and its host.