There is evidence that coinfection of cervicovaginal high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) and bacteria is common in women of childbearing age. However, the relationship between bacterial vaginosis (BV) and persistent HR-HPV infection in women of childbearing age and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we determined whether BV affects persistent HR-HPV infection in women aged 20-45 years and explored the possible mechanisms of their interactions. From January 1 to April 30, 2020, we recruited women aged 20-45 years with and without BV at a ratio of 1:2 from Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital. All women were followed up at 0, 12, and 24 months. A BV assay, HR-HPV genotyping and cervical cytology were performed at each follow-up. At 0 months, additional vaginal secretions and cervical exfoliated cells were collected for 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing, bacterial metabolite determination, and POU5F1B, C-myc, TLR4, NF-κB, and hTERT quantification. A total of 920 women were included. The
Introduction
The FMS-related tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) ligand (FLT3LG), a growth factor, binds to FLT3 on dendritic cell (DCs) to enhance their differentiation and expansion. It has shown great potential as an immunotherapy target for cancers. However, the expression and function of FLT3LG in cervical cancer remain largely unknown.
Materials and Methods
In this study, we obtained the expression of FLT3LG, the clinical prognosis in cervical cancer, via multiple databases, including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), the TISIDB database, and Tumor Immune Estimate Resource (TIMER). The results were further investigated using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) cytology specimens in 489 patients. Furthermore, Kaplan-Meier Cox regression and prognostic nomogram analyses were used to assess FLT3LG’s clinical significance in cervical cancer patients. All calculations used the R package.
Results
As a result, FLT3LG expression decreased in cervical cancer compared with standard samples. And the low expression of FLT3LG was associated with a poor prognosis. Furthermore, Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis indicated that FLT3LG might serve as a valuable diagnostic biomarker for cervical cancer. Additionally, it indicated that the FLT3LG had the highest odds ratio (OR=10.519; (7.371–27.071)) for detecting CIN 2+. In addition, our result also demonstrated that expression of FLT3LG was closely related to immune cells, immune inhibitors, immunostimulators, receptors, and chemokines in CESC.
Conclusion
Research on FLT3LG provided insight into its critical function. Hence, the low expression of FLT3LG may be a valuable biomarker in CESC patients linked with immune infiltration.
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