Several of the individual genes upregulated by Gardnerella exposures are involved in epithelial to mesenchymal transition (Cxcl5, Cxcr2, Tff1) (Lee et al., 2021) or known to be elevated during squamous metaplasia or bladder cancer (Anxa10, Fosl1, Krt6a, Mmp10) (Cao et al., 2010; Somji et al., 2011; Gatta et al., 2019; Kudelski et al., 2021; Wu et al., 2021). Here, CXCL5 is linked to urinary bladder carcinoma.