Correlation between the diversity of vaginal microbiota and the risk of high-risk human papillomavirus infection

Abstract

ObjectivesSince other genital infections enhance HIV susceptibility by inducing inflammation and evidence suggests that the vaginal microbiome plays a functional role in the persistence or regression of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, we investigated the relationship between the composition of the vaginal microbiota and the risk of high-risk HPV infection.MethodsThe study included 151 healthy women (65 HPV-positive and 86 HPV-negative) aged 20–65 at enrollment. Total genome DNA from samples was extracted using the hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) CTAB method. The vaginal microbiota composition was determined by sequencing barcoded 16S rDNA gene fragments (V4) on Illumina HiSeq2500.ResultsOf the 30 most abundant bacteria at the genus level, we found only six bacteria with a statistical difference between HPV-positive and HPV-negative women: Bacteroides, Acinetobacter, Faecalibacterium, Streptococcus, Finegoldia, and Moryella. Lactobacillus was the predominant genus and was detected in all women, but there was no significant difference between the two groups for L. iners, L. jensenii, and L. gasseri. Furthermore, we found 26 types of bacteria with a statistical difference at the species level between the two groups. Anaerobic bacteria such as Bacteroides plebeius, Acinetobacter lwoffii, and Prevotella buccae were found significantly more frequently in HPV-positive women, which is the most important finding of our study.ConclusionOur findings suggest a possible role for the composition of the vaginal microbiota as a modifier of high-risk HPV infection, and specific microbiota species may serve as sensors for changes in the cervical microenvironment associated with high-risk HPV infection. The exact molecular mechanism of the vaginal microbiota in the course of high-risk HPV infection and cervical neoplasia should be further explored. Future research should include intervention in the composition of the vaginal microbiota to reverse the course of high-risk HPV infection and the natural history of cervical neoplasia.

Human papillomavirus infection and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia progression are associated with increased vaginal microbiome diversity in a Chinese cohort

“…Similarly to the previous studies [2,4,17,18,23,24,40,42,47], we found increased abundances of several anaerobic bacteria such as Prevotella, Bacillus, Anaerococcus, Sneathia, Megasphaera, Streptococcus and Anaerococcus in HPV-infected women. We recognized Megasphaera of Firmicutes phylum as the most signi cant genus related with HPV infection, while Lee et al identi ed Sneathia spp.…”

Vaginal microbiota and the potential of Lactobacillus derivatives in maintaining vaginal health

“…In contrast, Lactobacillus is not the sole genus that dominates vaginal microbiota in black and Hispanic women (only 59.6% and 61.9%, respectively) [ 10 ]. A cross-sectional study of 151 women (65 HPV-positive, 86 HPV-negative) revealed that HPV is significantly associated with higher abundance of anaerobes like Bacteroides plebeius , Acinetobacter lwoffii , and Prevotella buccae [ 59 ]. This finding implied that higher diversity of vaginal microbiota significantly increased the risk of HPV acquisition [ 59 ].…”

“…A cross-sectional study of 151 women (65 HPV-positive, 86 HPV-negative) revealed that HPV is significantly associated with higher abundance of anaerobes like Bacteroides plebeius , Acinetobacter lwoffii , and Prevotella buccae [ 59 ]. This finding implied that higher diversity of vaginal microbiota significantly increased the risk of HPV acquisition [ 59 ]. It is conceivable that disrupted vaginal microbiota may affect the host innate immunity against HPV infection that leads to development of cervical cancer [ 60 ].…”

The vaginal microbiota associates with the regression of untreated cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 lesions

“…We previously reported that increased CIN disease severity is associated with decreasing relative abundance of Lactobacillus spp. 14 , however, the cross-sectional nature of these datasets did not permit exploration on the impact that that VMB composition may have on clinical outcome of CIN and HPV infection clearance [11][12][13][14][16][17][18][19][20] . In an earlier study by Brotman et al 11 serial sampling of women over the course of 16 weeks suggested that Lactobacillus gasseri-dominant communities may promote clearance of acute HPV infection.…”