Title: Microbiota dysbiosis is associated with HPV‐induced cervical carcinogenesis

Biography:

Wojciech Kwasniewski completed his PhD in 2012 the age of 27 years from Medical University of Lublin, Poland. In 2019 he obtained the title of specialist in the field of gynecology and obstetrics and received the title of habilitated doctor. He works at the Department of Oncological Gynecology SPSK 1 in Lublin as an assistant professor.

Abstract

Cervical microbial communities serve a crucial role in the persistence and development of oncogenic human papilloma virus (HPV) infections. In the present study, the authors hypothesised that disturbed heterogeneity of microbial flora was associated with HPV‐induced carcino- genesis. Swabs of the cervical microbiota were collected from 250 women and the 16S ribosomal DNA was sequenced using a high throughput assay. The swabs of cervical micro- biota were grouped according to the community state types (CSTs) as follows: Healthy cervical swabs; swabs taken from low‐grade squamous intra‐epithelial lesions (LSIL) and swabs taken from high‐grade squamous intra‐epithelial lesions (HSIL). Analysis of the bacterial classes revealed that the CST cervical swabs of the volunteers were charac- terised by Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus iners and Lactobacillus taiwanensis, however, Gardnerella vaginalis and Lactobacillus acidophilus were absent. In the CST of patients with LSIL the predominant type of bacteria was Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus iners, however Lactobacillus crispatus was not detected. Swabs from CST women diagnosed with HSIL exhibited abundant Gardnerella vaginalis and Lactobacillus acidophilus, however, lacked Lactobacillus taiwanensis, Lactobacillus iners and Lactobacillus crispatus. The abundance of Lactobacillus acidophilus in swabs from the healthy women was compared with the swabs from the women with LSIL. The results of the present study indicated that the development of HPV‐induced cancer is associated with a high diversity of vaginal microbiota, which is involved in the control of viral persistence, and is therefore indicative of disease prognosis.