Neisseria gonorrhoeae Challenge Increases Matrix Metalloproteinase-8 Expression in Fallopian Tube Explants

Background Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ngo) is the etiological agent of gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted infection that initially infects the female lower genital tract. In untreated women, the bacteria can ascend to the upper genital reproductive tract and infect the fallopian tube (FTs), which is associated with salpingitis and can lead to functional impairment of the FTs and infertility. The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays an important role in...