The human vaginal microbiota (VMB), which plays a vital role in maintaining health and homeostasis, exhibits low diversity compared to the microbiomes of other organs. Cervical cancer (CC) is a common malignancy in women and has been shown to be highly associated with persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV). VMB is associated with human papillomavirus infection and cervical lesions, and may play a positive role in the progression of HPV infection and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). On the one hand, lactobacillus can reduce the permeability of cervical cells, and reduce inflammatory response, inhibit the growth of cervical cancer cells, but the bacterias enhancing the diversity of VMB can express virulence and attachment genes, which cause damage to cervix and epithelial cells, causing HPV infection and high-grade disease states; On the other hand, HPV-associated E7 oncoprotein can reduce the secretion of defense peptides which are conducive to the growth of lactobacillus through NF-β-κB and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways, resulting in an increase in vaginal pH, which further facilitates the growth of vaginal pathogenic bacteria, and ultimately leads to structural changes of VMB. This review focuses on the relationship between the vaginal microbiome, persistent HPV infection and cervical dysplasia and the factors that mediate these relationships, which will help to find new targets for VMB-related diseases.
JI Lingyun1
,
2
,
WU Jing3
,
ZHOU Yang3
,
WU Wenjuan1
. Research progress on vaginal microbiome and its relationship with human papillomavirus infection and cervical disease[J]. Journal of Microbes and Infections, 2023
, 18(4)
: 251
-256
.
DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-6184.2023.04.009