Lactobacillus spp. create a protective micro-ecological environment through regulating the core fucosylation of vaginal epithelial cells against cervical cancer

Development of a Multiplex Real-Time Quantitative PCR Assay for Detecting Vaginal Microbiota in Chinese Women - China, 2021-2022

Introduction

The Nugent score, limited by subjectivity and personnel requirements, lacks accuracy. Establishing a precise and simple molecular test is therefore essential for detecting vaginal microbiota compositions and evaluating vaginal health.

Methods

We evaluated the vaginal health of Chinese women using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to target Lactobacillus crispatus (L. crispatus), L. iners, Gardnerella vaginalis (G. vaginalis), Atopobium vaginae (A. vaginae), and Megasphaera phylotype1. bacterial vaginosis (BV)-related bacteria shared a fluorescent channel. Using 16S rDNA sequencing as a reference standard, we evaluated and validated the diagnostic accuracy of the qPCR assay.

Results

Both qPCR and 16S rDNA sequencing demonstrated 90.5% concordance in segregating vaginal community state type (CST), as visualized through heatmaps and PCoA. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed strong correlations between the two methods in calculating the RA of L. crispatus (CST I), L. iners (CST III), and BV-related bacteria (CST IV), with coefficients of 0.865, 0.837, and 0.827, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that qPCR had significant diagnostic accuracy for CST I, CST III, and CST IV (molecular BV), with area under the curve values of 0.967, 0.815, and 0.950, respectively, indicating strong predictive power.

Discussions

Vaginal health can be evaluated using a single qPCR amplification experiment, making the multiplex qPCR assay a highly accurate tool for this purpose.

Effects of vaginal microbiota on human papillomavirus infection and its related diseases

With the knowledge of female reproductive tract microbiota gradually increasing, the connection between vaginal microbiota (VMB) and its related diseases is increasingly highlighted. Manifestation of VMB keeps changing with various dominated bacteria, which can affect the immune response of mucosal barrier and the entrance of pathogens. Human papillomavirus (HPV), as an oncogenic virus, is closely related to viral-associated cancer, such as cervical cancer. According to HPV infection status, VMB can transform into different types, and result in accelerating or restraining the progression of diseases, which have exposed the inner link between VMB and HPV. Therefore, probiotics therapy promises to be a new complementary therapy to rebuild a healthy VMB for patients, but there's still a long way to go before its ready for the clinic. This review focuses on composition, immune response, and application of VMB in HPV and its associated diseases and aims to provide the new ideas and directions for the research on VMB.

Effectiveness of vaginal probiotics Lactobacillus crispatus chen-01 in women with high-risk HPV infection: a prospective controlled pilot study

Female genital tract infection with high-risk human papilloma virus (HR-HPV) has the risk of developing into cervical cancer, and there is still a lack of effective therapeutic strategies. Probiotic intervention is considered as a potential intervention for HR-HPV, while exploration into living probiotic preparations for specific diseases remains limited and insufficient. This prospective controlled pilot study was conducted to observe the effect of intravaginal transplantation of a vaginal isolated natural probiotic strain, Lactobacillus crispatus chen-01, on the clearance of high-risk HPV infection. 100 women with high-risk HPV infection were enrolled and randomly divided into placebo group and probiotic treatment group, which received intravaginal transplantation of L. crispatus chen-01. Cervical exfoliated cells were collected 6 months later for detecting DNA load, typing of HPV, and cytological analysis. Our results showed that vaginal transplantation with L. crispatus chen-01 significantly reduced viral load of HPV, ameliorated HPV clearance rate, and improved vaginal inflammation state without causing obvious adverse reactions. Analysis of 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that L. crispatus chen-01 could effectively reconstitute the vaginal microbiota in women with high-risk HPV, which might be one of the underlying mechanisms of the beneficial effect of L. crispatus chen-01 transplantation. Our results suggested that vaginal transplantation of L. crispatus chen-01 might be a promising treatment for patients with high-risk HPV infection.

Exploring the Relationship between MicroRNAs, Intratumoral Microbiota, and Breast Cancer Progression in Patients with and without Metastasis

Breast cancer (BC) continues to pose a significant burden on global cancer-related morbidity and mortality, primarily driven by metastasis. However, the combined influence of microRNAs (miRNAs) and intratumoral microbiota on BC metastasis remains largely unexplored. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the interplay between intratumoral microbiota composition, miRNA expression profiles, and their collective influence on metastasis development in BC patients by employing 16S rRNA sequencing and qPCR methodologies. Our findings revealed an increase in the expression of miR-149-5p, miR-20b-5p, and miR-342-5p in metastatic breast cancer (Met-BC) patients. The Met-BC patients exhibited heightened microbial richness and diversity, primarily attributed to diverse pathogenic bacteria. Taxonomic analysis identified several pathogenic and pro-inflammatory species enriched in Met-BC, contrasting with non-metastatic breast cancer (NonMet-BC) patients, which displayed an enrichment in potential probiotic and anti-inflammatory species. Notably, we identified and verified a baseline prognostic signature for metastasis in BC patients, with its clinical relevance further validated by its impact on overall survival. In conclusion, the observed disparities in miRNA expression and species-level bacterial abundance suggest their involvement in BC progression. The development of a prognostic signature holds promise for metastasis risk assessment, paving the way for personalized interventions and improved clinical outcomes in BC patients.

Leveraging existing 16S rRNA gene surveys to decipher microbial signatures and dysbiosis in cervical carcinogenesis

The presence of dysbiotic cervicovaginal microbiota has been observed to be linked to the persistent development of cervical carcinogenesis mediated by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Nevertheless, the characteristics of the cervical microbiome in individuals diagnosed with cervical cancer (CC) are still not well understood. Comprehensive analysis was conducted by re-analyzing the cervical 16S rRNA sequencing datasets of a total of 507 samples from six previously published studies. We observed significant alpha and beta diversity differences in between CC, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and normal controls (NC), but not between HPV and NC in the combined dataset. Meta-analysis revealed that opportunistic pernicious microbes Streptococcus, Fusobacterium, Pseudomonas and Anaerococcus were enriched in CC, while Lactobacillus was depleted compared to NC. Members of Gardnerella, Sneathia, Pseudomonas, and Fannyhessea have significantly increased relative abundance compared to other bacteria in the CIN group. Five newly identified bacterial genera were found to differentiate CC from NC, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.8947. Moreover, co-occurrence network analysis showed that the most commonly encountered Lactobacillus was strongly negatively correlated with Prevotella. Overall, our study identified a set of potential biomarkers for CC from samples across different geographic regions. Our meta-analysis provided significant insights into the characteristics of dysbiotic cervicovaginal microbiota undergoing CC, which may lead to the development of noninvasive CC diagnostic tools and therapeutic interventions.

Fusobacterium periodonticum BCT protein targeting glucose metabolism to promote the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of esophageal cancer cells by lactic acid

BACKGROUND

The cancer microbiota was considered the main risk factor for cancer progression. We had proved that Fusobacterium periodonticum (F.p) was higher abundance in Esophageal cancer(EC)tissues. Bioinformation analysis found that BCT was a key virulence protein of F.p. However, little is known about the role and mechanism of BCT in EC. This study aimed to recognize the key virulence protein of F.p and explore the mechanism of BCT in promoting EC.

METHODS

We constructed a eukaryotic expression vector and purified the recombinant protein BCT. CCK8 used to analyzed the activity of EC after treated by different concentration of BCT. UPLC-MS/MS and ELISA used to detect the metabonomics and metabolites. The ability of migration and invasion was completed by transwell assay. RT-QPCR, WB used to analyze the expression of relevant genes.

RESULTS

Our data showed that BCT was higher expression in EC tumor tissues (p < 0.05) and BCT in 20 µg/mL promoted the survival, invasion and migration of EC cells (EC109) (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, UPLC-MS/MS results suggested that BCT resulted in an augmentation of hypotaurine metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, tryptophan metabolism, citrate cycle activity in EC109. The metabolic changes resulted in decreasing in glucose and pyruvate levels but increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and lactic acid (LA) as well as the expression of glucose transporter 1, Hexokinase 2, LDH which regulated the glycolysis were all changed (p < 0.05). The BCT treatment upregulated the expression of TLR4, Akt, HIF-1α (p < 0.05) which regulated the production of LA. Furthermore, LA stimulation promoted the expression of GPR81, Wnt, and β-catenin (p < 0.05), thereby inducing EMT and metastasis in EC109 cells.

CONCLUSION

Altogether, these findings identified that impact of BCT in regulation of glycolysis in EC109 and its involves the TLR4/Akt/HIF-1α pathway. Meanwhile, glycolysis increasing the release of LA and promote the EMT of EC109 by GPR81/Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In summary, our findings underscore the potential of targeting BCT as an innovative strategy to mitigate the development of EC.

Core fucosylation of maternal milk N-glycans imparts early-life immune tolerance through gut microbiota-dependent regulation in RORγt+ Treg cells

Milk glycans play key roles in shaping and maintaining a healthy infant gut microbiota. Core fucosylation catalyzed by fucosyltransferase (Fut8) is the major glycosylation pattern on human milk N-glycan, which was crucial for promoting the colonization and dominant growth of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus spp. in neonates. However, the influence of core-fucose in breast milk on the establishment of early-life immune tolerance remains poorly characterized. In this study, we found that the deficiency of core-fucose in the milk of maternal mice caused by Fut8 gene heterozygosity (Fut8+/-) resulted in poor immune tolerance towards the ovalbumin (OVA) challenge, accompanied by a reduced proportion of intestinal RORγt+ Treg cells and the abundance of Lactobacillus spp., especially L. reuteri and L. johnsonii, in their breast-fed neonates. The administration of the L. reuteri and L. johnsonii mixture to neonatal mice compromised the OVA-induced allergy and up-regulated the intestinal RORγt+ Treg cell proportions. However, Lactobacillus mixture supplementation did not alleviate allergic responses in RORγt+ Treg cell-deficient mice caused by Rorc gene heterozygosity (Rorc+/-) post OVA challenge, indicating that the intervention effects depend on the RORγt+ Treg cells. Interestingly, instead of L. reuteri and L. johnsonii, we found that the relative abundance of another Lactobacillus spp., L. murinus, in the gut of the offspring mice was significantly promoted by intervention, which showed enhancing effects on the proliferation of splenic and intestinal RORγt+ Treg cells in in vitro studies. The above results indicate that core fucosylation of breast milk N-glycans is beneficial for the establishment of RORγt+ Treg cell mediated early-life immune tolerance through the manipulation of symbiotic bacteria in mice.

Highly specific vaginal microbiome signature for gynecological cancers

To investigate the vaginal microbiota signature of patients with gynecologic cancer and evaluate its diagnostic biomarker potential. We incorporated vaginal 16S rRNA-seq data from 529 women and utilized VSEARCH to analyze the raw data. α-Diversity was evaluated utilizing the Chao1, Shannon, and Simpson indices, and β-diversity was evaluated through principal component analysis using Bray-Curtis distances. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) was utilized to determine species differences between groups. A bacterial co-abundance network was constructed utilizing Spearman correlation analysis. A random forest model of gynecologic tumor risk based on genus was constructed and validated to test its diagnostic efficacy. In gynecologic cancer patients, vaginal α-diversity was significantly greater than in controls, and vaginal β-diversity was significantly separated from that of controls; there was no correlation between these characteristics and menopause status among the subject women. Women diagnosed with gynecological cancer exhibited a reduction in the abundance of vaginal Firmicutes and Lactobacillus, while an increase was observed in the proportions of Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Prevotella, Streptococcus, and Anaerococcus. A random forest model constructed based on 56 genus achieved high accuracy (area under the curve = 84.96%) in gynecological cancer risk prediction. Furthermore, there were discrepancies observed in the community complexity of co-abundance networks between gynecologic cancer patients and the control group. Our study provides evidence that women with gynecologic cancer have a unique vaginal flora structure and microorganisms may be involved in the gynecologic carcinogenesis process. A gynecological cancer risk prediction model based on characteristic genera has good diagnostic value.

HPV-associated cervicovaginal microbiome and host metabolome characteristics

BACKGROUND

Cervicovaginal microbiome plays an important role in the persistence of HPV infection and subsequent disease development. However, cervicovaginal microbiota varied cross populations with different habits and regions. Identification of population-specific biomarkers from cervicovaginal microbiota and host metabolome axis may support early detection or surveillance of HPV-induced cervical disease at all sites. Therefore, in the present study, to identify HPV-specific biomarkers, cervicovaginal secretion and serum samples from HPV-infected patients (HPV group, n = 25) and normal controls (normal group, n = 17) in Xichang, China were collected for microbiome (16S rRNA gene sequencing) and metabolome (UHPLC-MS/MS) analysis, respectively.

RESULTS

The results showed that key altered metabolites of 9,10-DiHOME, α-linolenic acid, ethylparaben, glycocholic acid, pipecolic acid, and 9,12,13-trihydroxy-10(E),15(Z)-octadecadienoic acid, correlating with Sneathia (Sneathia_amnii), Lactobacillus (Lactobacillus_iners), Atopobium, Mycoplasma, and Gardnerella, may be potential biomarkers of HPV infection.

CONCLUSION

The results of current study would help to reveal the association of changes in cervicovaginal microbiota and serum metabolome with HPV infections.

Human papillomavirus and cervical cancer in the microbial world: exploring the vaginal microecology

The vaginal microbiota plays a crucial role in female reproductive health and is considered a biomarker for predicting disease outcomes and personalized testing. However, its relationship with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical cancer is not yet clear. Therefore, this article provides a review of the association between the vaginal microbiota, HPV infection, and cervical cancer. We discuss the composition of the vaginal microbiota, its dysbiosis, and its relationship with HPV infection, as well as potential mechanisms in the development of cervical cancer. In addition, we assess the feasibility of treatment strategies such as probiotics and vaginal microbiota transplantation to modulate the vaginal microbiota for the prevention and treatment of diseases related to HPV infection and cervical cancer. In the future, extensive replication studies are still needed to gain a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between the vaginal microbiota, HPV infection, and cervical cancer, and to clarify the role of the vaginal microbiota as a potential biomarker for predicting disease outcomes, thus providing a theoretical basis for personalized testing.

The Multifaceted Role of FUT8 in Tumorigenesis: From Pathways to Potential Clinical Applications

FUT8, the sole glycosyltransferase responsible for N-glycan core fucosylation, plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis and development. Aberrant FUT8 expression disrupts the function of critical cellular components and triggers the abnormality of tumor signaling pathways, leading to malignant transformations such as proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and immunosuppression. The association between FUT8 and unfavorable outcomes in various tumors underscores its potential as a valuable diagnostic marker. Given the remarkable variation in biological functions and regulatory mechanisms of FUT8 across different tumor types, gaining a comprehensive understanding of its complexity is imperative. Here, we review how FUT8 plays roles in tumorigenesis and development, and how this outcome could be utilized to develop potential clinical therapies for tumors.

Cultivable Microbiome Approach Applied to Cervical Cancer Exploration

Traditional microbiological methodology is valuable and essential for microbiota composition description and microbe role assignations at different anatomical sites, including cervical and vaginal tissues; that, combined with molecular biology strategies and modern identification approaches, could give a better perspective of the microbiome under different circumstances. This pilot work aimed to describe the differences in microbiota composition in non-cancer women and women with cervical cancer through a culturomics approach combining culture techniques with Vitek mass spectrometry and 16S rDNA sequencing. To determine the possible differences, diverse statistical, diversity, and multivariate analyses were applied; the results indicated a different microbiota composition between non-cancer women and cervical cancer patients. The Firmicutes phylum dominated the non-cancer (NC) group, whereas the cervical cancer (CC) group was characterized by the predominance of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria phyla; there was a depletion of lactic acid bacteria, an increase in the diversity of anaerobes, and opportunistic and non-typical human microbiota isolates were present. In this context, we hypothesize and propose a model in which microbial composition and dynamics may be essential for maintaining the balance in the cervical microenvironment or can be pro-oncogenesis microenvironmental mediators in a process called Ying-Yang or have a protagonist/antagonist microbiota role.

Inhibition of α2,6-sialyltransferase relieves symptoms of ulcerative colitis by regulating Th17 cells polarization

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic, relapsing inflammatory disease that affects human intestines. Immune imbalance is one of the important factors inducing UC. After the activation of CD4+ T cells, pro-inflammatory cytokines are produced to induce colonic inflammation. α2,6-Sialylation, catalyzed by α2,6-sialyltransferase (ST6GAL1), affects the proliferation, activation, and T cell receptor (TCR) signaling of CD4+ T cells, but its role in CD4+ T cell polarization, regulation of Th17 / Treg balance, and its role in UC are still unclear. We found the number of CD4+ T and Th17 cells increased in colonic tissue with UC. The level of α2,6-sialylation of CD4+ T cells in patients with UC was significantly increased. De-α2,6-sialylation significantly reduced the symptoms of UC in rats. ST6GAL1 gene knockout inhibited the polarization of CD4+ T cells to Th17 cells, and promoted the polarization of CD4+ T cells to Treg cells. ST6GAL1 knockout significantly inhibited the IL-17 signaling pathway in CD4+ T cells and inhibited the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-17a. ST6GAL1 and IL-17a are highly expressed in patients with UC, and there is a positive correlation between them. In conclusion, reduced α2,6-sialylation inhibits the polarization of CD4+ T cells to Th17 cells, inhibits IL-17a signaling pathway and reduces the level of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-17a to alleviate the symptoms of UC, which is a potential novel target for the clinical treatment of UC.

Vaginal microecology and its role in human papillomavirus infection and human papillomavirus associated cervical lesions

The vaginal microecology comprises the vaginal microbiome, immune microenvironment, vaginal anatomy, and the cervicovaginal fluid, which is rich in metabolites, enzymes, and cytokines. Investigating its role in the female reproductive system holds paramount significance. The advent of next-generation sequencing enabled a more profound investigation into the structure of the vaginal microbial community in relation to the female reproductive system. Human papillomavirus infection is prevalent among women of reproductive age, and persistent oncogenic HPV infection is widely recognized as a factor associated with cervical cancer. Extensive previous research has demonstrated that dysbiosis of vaginal microbiota characterized by a reduction in Lactobacillus species, heightens susceptivity to HPV infection, consequently contributing to persistent HPV infection and the progression of cervical lesion. Likewise, HPV infection can exacerbate dysbiosis. This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of current literatures and to elucidate potential mechanisms underlying the interaction between vaginal microecology and HPV infection, with the intention of offering valuable insights for future clinical interventions.

Association between vaginal microbiomes and neonatal septicemia in pregnant women with preterm premature rupture of membranes based on metagenome sequencing

BACKGROUND

Preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) is closely associated with pathogenic microbiomes in the female reproductive tract, and can lead to neonatal septicemia. The current study aimed to investigate potential pathogenic microbiomes associated with neonatal septicemia based on DNA metagenome sequencing.

METHODS

In this study, a total of 7 pregnant women with PPROM presenting neonatal septicemia (experimental group) and 3 pregnant women with normal newborns (control group) were enrolled. Vaginal secretions at admission and before parturition as well as placental tissues after parturition were collected for DNA metagenome sequencing using whole genome shotgun method on the Illumina NovaSeq/HiSeq platform. Raw data were processed by BioBakery workflow, and MetaPhlAn4 was implemented for qualitative and quantitative analyses of microbiome. Lactobacillus crispatus, Gardneralla vaginalis, Fannyhessea vaginae and Streptococcus suis were specifically detected from the experimental group. The two groups were compared using Student's t-tests.

RESULTS

The indexes of Chao1 (P=0.00028/P=0.00072), abundance-based coverage estimator (ACE, P=0.00059/P=0.00026), Shannon (P=0.036/P=0.0065) and Simpson (P=0.007/P=0.041) in the experimental group were increased at admission and before parturition as compared with the control group. Several microbiomes, such as Lactobacillus crispatus, Gardneralla vaginalis, Fannyhessea vaginae and Streptococcus suis, were specifically detected in the experimental group. Notably, Gardnerella vaginalis and Streptococcus gallolyticus were identified from the vaginal secretions and placenta tissues of women with neonatal septicemia. Moreover, nucleic acid synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism-related pathways were enriched in the experimental group.

CONCLUSION

This study enhanced the current understanding of the mechanisms underlying pathogenic microbiomes in PPROM-induced neonatal septicemia. The trial registry number is ChiCTR2300070666 (URL: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=195648).

Relationship between Human Papillomavirus Status and the Cervicovaginal Microbiome in Cervical Cancer

Uterine cervical cancer (CC) is a complex, multistep disease primarily linked to persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV). However, it is widely acknowledged that HR-HPV infection alone cannot account for the formation and progression of CC. Emerging evidence suggests that the cervicovaginal microbiome (CVM) also plays a significant role in HPV-related CC. Certain bacteria, such as Fusobacterium spp., Porphyromonas, Prevotella, and Campylobacter, are currently being considered as potential microbiomarkers for HPV-positive CC. However, the composition of the CVM in CC is inconsistent; thus, further studies are needed. This review comprehensively discusses the complex interplay between HPV and the CVM in cervical carcinogenesis. It is postulated that the dynamic interaction between HPV and the CVM creates an imbalanced cervicovaginal microenvironment that triggers dysbiosis, enhances HPV persistence, and promotes cervical carcinogenesis. Moreover, this review aims to provide updated evidence on the potential role of bacteriotherapy, particularly probiotics, in the treatment of CC.

Impact of cervicovaginal microbiome on the risk of cervical abnormalities development

The vaginal microbiome has emerged as potentially influencing the natural history of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infections and their clinical impact. We aimed to characterize the vaginal microbiome in samples from 807 high-risk HPVs (Hr-HPV) positive women with a mean age of 41.45 ± 10.79 years who participated in the Regional Cervical Cancer Screening Program from the Northern Region of Portugal. Microbiome analysis was performed with commercial kits for the detection of 21 microorganisms. The most frequent microorganisms were Ureaplasma parvum (52.5%), Gardnerella vaginalis (GV) (34.5%), Atopobium vaginae (AV) (32.6%), Lacto (30.7%), and Mycoplasma hominis (MH) (23.5%). The distribution according to age reveals that MH, Mega1, GV, BVab2, AV, and Mob were more prevalent in women older than 41 years of age (p < 0.050), while Lacto is significantly decreased in this group (23.5% vs. 39.4%, p < 0.001; RR = 0.47). The risk analysis showed that Hr-HPV-16/-18 and Hr-HPV-9val genotypes are associated with an increased risk of developing cervical abnormalities, while Lacto (p < 0.001; odd ratio [OR] = 0.33), GV (p = 0.0111; OR = 0.41), AV (p = 0.033; OR = 0.53) and Mob (p = 0.022; OR = 0.29) are associated with protection. Similar results were found for the risk of development atypical squamous cells cannot exclude HSIL/high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion. Overall, the multivariate analysis confirmed that lactobacillus and bacteria associated with bacterial vaginosis (GV, AV, and Mob) are associated with protection against the development of cervical abnormalities. This study provides important data to be included in the future management of risk stratification for Hr-HPV-positive women.

A Review of Gut Microbiota-Derived Metabolites in Tumor Progression and Cancer Therapy

Gut microbiota-derived metabolites are key hubs connecting the gut microbiome and cancer progression, primarily by remodeling the tumor microenvironment and regulating key signaling pathways in cancer cells and multiple immune cells. The use of microbial metabolites in radiotherapy and chemotherapy mitigates the severe side effects from treatment and improves the efficacy of treatment. Immunotherapy combined with microbial metabolites effectively activates the immune system to kill tumors and overcomes drug resistance. Consequently, various novel strategies have been developed to modulate microbial metabolites. Manipulation of genes involved in microbial metabolism using synthetic biology approaches directly affects levels of microbial metabolites, while fecal microbial transplantation and phage strategies affect levels of microbial metabolites by altering the composition of the microbiome. However, some microbial metabolites harbor paradoxical functions depending on the context (e.g., type of cancer). Furthermore, the metabolic effects of microorganisms on certain anticancer drugs such as irinotecan and gemcitabine, render the drugs ineffective or exacerbate their adverse effects. Therefore, a personalized and comprehensive consideration of the patient's condition is required when employing microbial metabolites to treat cancer. The purpose of this review is to summarize the correlation between gut microbiota-derived metabolites and cancer, and to provide fresh ideas for future scientific research.

Leveraging 16S rRNA data to uncover vaginal microbial signatures in women with cervical cancer

Microbiota-relevant signatures have been investigated for human papillomavirus-related cervical cancer (CC), but lack consistency because of study- and methodology-derived heterogeneities. Here, four publicly available 16S rRNA datasets including 171 vaginal samples (51 CC versus 120 healthy controls) were analyzed to characterize reproducible CC-associated microbial signatures. We employed a recently published clustering approach called VAginaL community state typE Nearest CentroId clAssifier to assign the metadata to 13 community state types (CSTs) in our study. Nine subCSTs were identified. A random forest model (RFM) classifier was constructed to identify 33 optimal genus-based and 94 species-based signatures. Confounder analysis revealed confounding effects on both study- and hypervariable region-associated aspects. After adjusting for confounders, multivariate analysis identified 14 significantly changed taxa in CC versus the controls (P < 0.05). Furthermore, predicted functional analysis revealed significantly upregulated pathways relevant to the altered vaginal microbiota in CC. Cofactor, carrier, and vitamin biosynthesis were significantly enriched in CC, followed by fatty acid and lipid biosynthesis, and fermentation of short-chain fatty acids. Genus-based contributors to the differential functional abundances were also displayed. Overall, this integrative study identified reproducible and generalizable signatures in CC, suggesting the causal role of specific taxa in CC pathogenesis.

Potential targeted therapy based on deep insight into the relationship between the pulmonary microbiota and immune regulation in lung fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis is an irreversible disease, and its mechanism is unclear. The lung is a vital organ connecting the respiratory tract and the outside world. The changes in lung microbiota affect the progress of lung fibrosis. The latest research showed that lung microbiota differs in healthy people, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and acute exacerbation-idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF). How to regulate the lung microbiota and whether the potential regulatory mechanism can become a necessary targeted treatment of IPF are unclear. Some studies showed that immune response and lung microbiota balance and maintain lung homeostasis. However, unbalanced lung homeostasis stimulates the immune response. The subsequent biological effects are closely related to lung fibrosis. Core fucosylation (CF), a significant protein functional modification, affects the lung microbiota. CF regulates immune protein modifications by regulating key inflammatory factors and signaling pathways generated after immune response. The treatment of immune regulation, such as antibiotic treatment, vitamin D supplementation, and exosome micro-RNAs, has achieved an initial effect in clearing the inflammatory storm induced by an immune response. Based on the above, the highlight of this review is clarifying the relationship between pulmonary microbiota and immune regulation and identifying the correlation between the two, the impact on pulmonary fibrosis, and potential therapeutic targets.

The Role of Intratumor Microbiomes in Cervical Cancer Metastasis

BACKGROUND

Intratumor microbiomes can influence tumorigenesis and progression. The relationship between intratumor microbiomes and cervical cancer metastasis, however, remains unclear.

METHODS

We examined 294 cervical cancer samples together with information on microbial expression, identified metastasis-associated microbiomes, and used machine learning methods to validate their predictive ability on tumor metastasis. The tumors were subsequently typed based on differences in microbial expression. Differentially expressed genes in different tumor types were combined to construct a tumor-prognostic risk score model and a multiparameter nomogram model. In addition, we performed a functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes to infer the mechanism of action between microbiomes and tumor cells.

RESULTS

Based on the 15 differentially expressed microbiomes, machine learning models were able to correctly predict the risk of cervical cancer metastasis. In addition, both the risk score and the nomogram model accurately predicted tumor prognosis. Differences in the expression of endogenous genes in tumors can influence the distribution of the intracellular microbiomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Intratumoral microbiomes in cervical cancer are associated with tumor metastasis and influence disease prognosis. A change in gene expression within tumor cells is responsible for differences in the microbial populations within the tumor.

Interactions between microbiota and cervical epithelial, immune, and mucus barrier

The female reproductive tract harbours hundreds of bacterial species and produces numerous metabolites. The uterine cervix is located between the upper and lower parts of the female genital tract. It allows sperm and birth passage and hinders the upward movement of microorganisms into a relatively sterile uterus. It is also the predicted site for sexually transmitted infection (STI), such as Chlamydia, human papilloma virus (HPV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The healthy cervicovaginal microbiota maintains cervical epithelial barrier integrity and modulates the mucosal immune system. Perturbations of the microbiota composition accompany changes in microbial metabolites that induce local inflammation, damage the cervical epithelial and immune barrier, and increase susceptibility to STI infection and relative disease progression. This review examined the intimate interactions between the cervicovaginal microbiota, relative metabolites, and the cervical epithelial-, immune-, and mucus barrier, and the potent effect of the host-microbiota interaction on specific STI infection. An improved understanding of cervicovaginal microbiota regulation on cervical microenvironment homeostasis might promote advances in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for various STI diseases.

Antifungal Efficacy of Gallic Acid Extracted From Pomegranate Peel Against Trichophyton rubrum: In Vitro Case Study

Objectives: Trichophyton rubrum is one of the main pathogens causing superficial dermatophytosis, producing symptoms such as skin itching and pain, which seriously affects the quality of life of patients. Pomegranate peel extract is rich in gallic acid (GA), which has been reported to have biological effects including antifungal activity. However, the morphological and molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of GA on T rubrum are not well understood. The objectives of this study were to determine the antifungal efficacy of GA extracted from pomegranate peel against T rubrum in vitro, and to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods: The effects of 0-, 0.5-, and 1 mg/mL GA in pomegranate peel extract on T rubrum was investigated by detecting cell viability using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to analyze the ultrastructure of T. rubrum, and transcriptome sequencing was used to analyze the enrichment pathway of differentially expressed genes. The identification of biosynthesis-related and key genes in the pathways involved using real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) technology. Terbinafine hydrochloride (TERB) as a positive control group. Results: Pomegranate peel extract has a GA content of 1.0 mg/mL. Compared with untreated group, following treatment with 1.0 mg/mL GA content is rich in pomegranate peel extract, and the microstructure of T rubrum is destroyed. TEM results show that the number of lipid droplets in T rubrum was significantly increased, mitochondrial vacuoles degenerated, the serosa were damaged, and the boundary of thallus was unclear. In addition, 1 mg/mL GA can significantly inhibit T rubrum proliferation, and its inhibition ability is better than TERB. Transcriptomics results show that GA can change the gene expression profile of T rubrum, specifically: The biosynthesis was blocked, drug resistance was weakened, the transport of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) drugs transporter was increased, and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway was significantly inhibited. Conclusions: Pomegranate peel extract is rich in GA, which strongly inhibited the growth of T rubrum and reduced its drug resistance. This extract is a promising natural antifungal agent for clinical use.

N-glycosylation of cervicovaginal fluid reflects microbial community, immune activity, and pregnancy status

Human cervicovaginal fluid (CVF) is a complex, functionally important and glycan rich biological fluid, fundamental in mediating physiological events associated with reproductive health. Using a comprehensive glycomic strategy we reveal an extremely rich and complex N-glycome in CVF of pregnant and non-pregnant women, abundant in paucimannose and high mannose glycans, complex glycans with 2-4 N-Acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) antennae, and Poly-LacNAc glycans decorated with fucosylation and sialylation. N-glycosylation profiles were observed to differ in relation to pregnancy status, microbial composition, immune activation, and pregnancy outcome. Compared to CVF from women experiencing term birth, CVF from women who subsequently experienced preterm birth showed lower sialylation, which correlated to the presence of a diverse microbiome, and higher fucosylation, which correlated positively to pro-inflammatory cytokine concentration. This study is the first step towards better understanding the role of cervicovaginal glycans in reproductive health, their contribution to the mechanism of microbial driven preterm birth, and their potential for preventative therapy.

Influence of Lacidophilin Vaginal Capsules plus rh-IFN-α2b on Efficacy, Vaginal Microecology, and Safety of Patients with HPV Infection

Background

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a self-limiting disease, and there is no specific antiviral drug at present.

Purpose

Here, we analyzed the influence of lacidophilin vaginal capsules plus recombinant human interferon α-2b (rh-IFN-α2b) on efficacy, vaginal microecology, and safety of patients with HPV infection. Two hundred cases of HPV infection admitted between January 2019 and December 2020 were retrospectively collected. Of them, 90 cases receiving rh-IFN-α2b intervention were assigned to the control group (CG), and 110 cases given lacidophilin vaginal capsules in addition to rh-IFN-α2b were included in the research group (RG). Baseline data, efficacy, vaginal microecology, microecological restoration recovery, and incidence of adverse events (AEs) were compared between the two groups.

Results

The analyses revealed nonsignificant difference in baseline data between RG and CG, indicating comparability. In terms of efficacy, RG showed a statistically higher negative conversion ratio (NCR) than CG (57.27% vs. 47.78%), as well as an obviously higher overall response rate (ORR) (90.90% vs. 72.22%). As far as the vaginal microecology was concerned, the incidence rates of catalase-positive, sialidase-positive, abnormal microbial density, and abnormal microbial diversity of RG were significantly lower compared with CG, but no evident differences were determined in Trichomonas vaginalis-positive and Candida-positive. As for microecological restoration, RG had an obviously higher vaginal microecological recovery rate than CG (90.00% vs. 65.56%), as well as notably lower vaginal secretion pH and Nugent score. On the other hand, RG and CG showed no statistical significance in the incidence of AEs (12.73% vs. 13.33%).

Conclusions

The main contributions of this study are as follows: first, it is confirmed that lacidophilin vaginal capsules plus rh-IFN-α2b has better clinical effects than rh-IFN-α2b alone in HPV-infected patients; second, it demonstrates that the combination therapy can significantly improve NCR and ORR, without increasing the incidence of AEs, and is beneficial to improve patients' vaginal microecology and promote its restoration from the multidimensional aspects of efficacy, safety, and vaginal microecology and its recovery. Our findings provide valuable clinical evidence for the drug treatment of HPV-infected patients.

Disturbances of Vaginal Microbiome Composition in Human Papillomavirus Infection and Cervical Carcinogenesis: A Qualitative Systematic Review

Background

Emerging evidence has demonstrated a close association between perturbations in vaginal microbiota composition in women and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, cervical lesions, and cervical cancer (Ca); however, these findings are highly heterogeneous and inconclusive.

Aim

To perform a comprehensive systematic review of the global disturbance in the vaginal microbiota, specifically in women with HPV-associated cervical diseases, and to further conduct within- and across-disease comparisons.

Method

Twenty-two records were identified in a systematic literature search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase up to February 28, 2022. We extracted microbial changes at the community (alpha and beta diversity) and taxonomic (relative abundance) levels. Within- and across-disease findings on the relative abundance of taxonomic assignments were qualitatively synthesized.

Results

Generally, significantly higher alpha diversity was observed for HPV infection, cervical lesions, and/or cancer patients than in controls, and significant differences within beta diversity were observed for the overall microbial composition across samples. In within-disease comparisons, the genera Gardnerella, Megasphaera, Prevotella, Peptostreptococcus, and Streptococcus showed the greatest abundances with HPV infection; Sneathia and Atopobium showed inconsistent abundance with HPV infection, and Staphylococcus was observed in Ca. Across diseases, we find increased levels of Streptococcus and varying levels of Gardnerella were shared across HPV infections, high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, and Ca, whereas Lactobacillus iners varied depending on the HPV-related disease subtype.

Conclusions

This systematic review reports that vaginal microbiome disturbances are correlated to the depletion of Lactobacillus, enrichment of anaerobes, and increased abundance of aerobic bacteria in HPV infection and related cervical diseases. Moreover, L. iners may exert either protective or pathogenic effects on different HPV-related diseases.

Core Fucosylation Regulates the Function of Pre-BCR, BCR and IgG in Humoral Immunity

Most of the membrane molecules involved in immune response are glycosylated. N-glycans linked to asparagine (Asn) of immune molecules contribute to the protein conformation, surface expression, stability, and antigenicity. Core fucosylation catalyzed by core fucosyltransferase (FUT8) is the most common post-translational modification. Core fucosylation is essential for evoking a proper immune response, which this review aims to communicate. First, FUT8 deficiency suppressed the interaction between μHC and λ5 during pre-BCR assembly is given. Second, we described the effects of core fucosylation in B cell signal transduction via BCR. Third, we investigated the role of core fucosylation in the interaction between helper T (T_H) cells and B cells. Finally, we showed the role of FUT8 on the biological function of IgG. In this review, we discussed recent insights into the sites where core fucosylation is critical for humoral immune responses.