Characteristics of Vaginal Microbiota in various Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract Background To prevent overtreatment of patients whose cervical intraepithelial neoplasia(CIN) may be regression and to predict the onset of invasive cervical cancer at an early stage, we've identified the vaginal microbiome as a potential key factor, which is associated with both HPV infection and the various cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. This study aims to investigate the microbiome characteristics of patients with various cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Methods Utilizing high-throughput 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) sequencing technology, an evaluation of the characteristics and community composition of VMB was conducted among 692 Chinese women infected with the High-risk Human Papillomavirus (HR-HPV). Results Among the VMB of female patients in the four groups, the genus Lactobacillus was the most abundant but significantly reduced in high-grade lesions. With the increase in the grade of lesions, the proportions of the genera Gardnerella, Dialister and Prevotella significantly increased. The diversity of the VMB was more significant in high-grade CIN. Furthermore, KEGG pathway enrichment analysis indicates that high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia can inhibit various pathways, including those of phosphotransferase system, transcription factors, Fructose and mannose metabolism, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, and galactose metabolism, which may contribute to the development of early cervical cancer symptoms. Conclusion Patients with CIN exhibit a distinct vaginal microbial profile. Decreased Lactobacillius, coupled with increased Gardnerella, Prevotella and Dialister, could may be relative with the cervical carcinogenesis. Retrospectively registered: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Beijing Chaoyang Hospital affiliated with the Capital Medical University (NO.2023-S-415).