Vaginal microbiome distinction in women with HPV+, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, and cervical cancer - A retrospective study

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Rhys

Vaginal microbiome patterns were evaluated for associations with HPV infection and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) severity, as well as cervical cancer. DNA from vaginal samples of 69 women was analyzed using HPV genotyping by PCR and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Lactobacillus predominated across groups, while Gardnerella showed an increased high-risk association with HPV. Higher alpha diversity appeared in HPV+ and CIN compared with normal cytology, alongside elevated prevalence of high-risk HPV genotypes including HPV16, 52, and 33.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Methods

Results

Conclusion

TYPE Original Research PUBLISHED 17 January 2025 DOI 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1483544 OPEN ACCESS EDITED BY Maurizio Sanguinetti, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Italy REVIEWED BY Ilaria Cuccu, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy Gianluca Quaranta, Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic (IRCCS), Italy *CORRESPONDENCE Xiaomei Wu [w_xiaomei@163.com](w_xiaomei@163.com) RECEIVED 20 August 2024 ACCEPTED 11 December 2024 PUBLISHED 17 January 2025 CITATION Li Y and Wu X (2025) Vaginal microbiome distinction in women with HPV+, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, and cervical cancer, a retrospective study. Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol. 14:1483544 . doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1483544 COPYRIGHT © 2025 Li and Wu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. Vaginal microbiome distinction in women with HPV+, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, and cervical cancer, a retrospective study Yuanyue Li 1,2 and Xiaomei Wu*,1,2 1 Department of Gynecology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China, 2The Afﬁliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China Introduction: The vaginal microbiota is a complex and dynamic microecosystem that plays a pivotal role in protecting the host from various pathogens. Previous studies have investigated the diversity of the vaginal microbiome and its association with health outcomes, particularly the development of HPV-related disorders. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the vaginal micro biota, HPV infection, cervical intraepithelial neoplasias (CINs), and cervical cancers in 69 women. Methods: DNA was extracted from vaginal samples, followed by HPV genotyping through PCR and sequenced of the16S rRNA gene. Results: Our results revealed that Lactobacillus was the predominant bacterium across all groups, with prevalence rates of 60.2% in women with HPV+, 63.9% in CINI, 97.7% in CINII, 52.0% in CINIII, 36.9% in cervical cancer, and 70.9% in NILM (normal cytology) . Additionally, an elevated proportion of Gardnerella wasidentiﬁed as a high-risk bacterium associated with HPV infection, potentially contributing to the progression of cervical lesions. High-risk HPV genotypes, particularly HPV16, 52, and 33, were found to be more prevalent among women with HPV+, CIN, and cervical cancer. We also observed signiﬁcantly higher alpha diversity in the vaginal microbiome of women with HPV+ and CIN, as indicated by increased Sobs, Shannon, Ace, and Chao indices, compared to the NILM group. Conclusion: These ﬁndings suggest that HPV infection and its associated pathological conditions are closely linked to alterations in the vaginal microbiome. This underscores the need for further research to unravel the intricate relationship between HPV genotype infections and vaginal microbiota, which could pave the way for new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. KEYWORDS human papillomavirus, HPV genotypes, vaginal microbiome, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, cervical cancer Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology 01 [frontiersin.org](frontiersin.org) Introduction Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a dsDNA, non-enveloped virus that commonly infects the genital tract. It is a major causative agent of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) which has the potential to progress to cervical cancer (Gheit, 2019) . Cervical carcinoma remains a signiﬁcant public health concern, particularly in underdeveloped regions, such as Africa where mortality rates are disproportionately high. Cervical

FAQs

What was the primary aim of the study?

To investigate how the vaginal microbiota correlates with HPV infection and with CIN and cervical cancer conditions.

How were HPV status and vaginal microbiome composition measured?

DNA was extracted from vaginal samples; HPV genotyping was performed using PCR, and the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced to characterize the vaginal microbiome.

Which bacterial patterns and viral genotypes were most associated with disease groups?

Lactobacillus was predominant overall, while an increased proportion of Gardnerella was identified as a high-risk bacterium linked to HPV infection. High-risk HPV genotypes, especially HPV16, 52, and 33, were more prevalent among HPV+, CIN, and cervical cancer groups.

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Rhys