Relationship between Papillomavirus vaccine, vaginal microbiome, and local cytokine response: an exploratory research.

INTRODUCTION: The influence of vaccination on composition of the human microbiome at distinct sites has been recognized as an essential component in the development of new vaccine strategies. The HPV vaccine is widely used to prevent cervical cancer; however, the influence of HPV vaccine on the vaginal microbiota has not been previously investigated. In his study, we performed an initial characterization of the microbiome and cytokine composition in the vagina following administration of the bivalent vaccine against HPV 16/18. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this exploratory study, fifteen women between 18 and 40 years received three doses of the HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine (Cervarix®). Cervicovaginal samples were collected before the first dose and 30 days after the third dose. HPV genotyping was performed by the XGEN Flow Chip technique. The cytokines IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-12p70, TNF-α, GM-CSF, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13 were quantitated by multiplex immunoassay. The vaginal microbiome was identified by analysis of the V3/V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. RESULTS: The most abundant bacterial species in the vaginal microbiome was Lactobacillus crispatus, followed by L. iners. Bacterial diversity and dominant organisms were unchanged following vaccination. Small decreases in levels of pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines were observed following HPV vaccination, but there was no association between vaginal cytokine levels and microbiome composition. CONCLUSION: Vaginal microbiome is not altered following administration of the standard three-dose HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted (Cervarix®) vaccine.

Vaginal lipidomics of women with vulvovaginal candidiasis and cytolytic vaginosis: A non-targeted LC-MS pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the lipid profile in vaginal discharge of women with vulvovaginal candidiasis, cytolytic vaginosis, or no vaginal infection or dysbiosis. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Genital Infections Ambulatory, Department of Tocogynecology, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo-Brazil. SAMPLE: Twenty-four women were included in this study: eight with vulvovaginal candidiasis, eight with cytolytic vaginosis and eight with no vaginal infections or dysbiosis (control group). METHODS: The lipid profile in vaginal discharge of the different study groups was determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and further analyzed with MetaboAnalyst 3.0 platform. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Vaginal lipids concentration and its correlation with vulvovaginal candidiasis and cytolytic vaginosis. RESULTS: PCA, PLS-DA and hierarchical clustering analyses indicated 38 potential lipid biomarkers for the different groups, correlating with oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis and integrity of the vaginal epithelial tissue. Among these, greater concentrations were found for Glycochenodeoxycholic acid-7-sulfate, O-adipoylcarnitine, 1-eicosyl-2-heptadecanoyl-glycero-3-phosphoserine, undecanoic acid, formyl dodecanoate and lipoic acid in the vulvovaginal candidiasis group; N-(tetradecanoyl)-sphinganine, DL-PPMP, 1-oleoyl-cyclic phosphatidic, palmitic acid and 5-aminopentanoic acid in the cytolytic vaginosis group; and 1-nonadecanoyl-glycero-3-phosphate, eicosadienoic acid, 1-stearoyl-cyclic-phosphatidic acid, 1-(9Z,12Z-heptadecadienoyl)-glycero-3-phosphate, formyl 9Z-tetradecenoate and 7Z,10Z-hexadecadienoic acid in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Lipids related to oxidative stress and apoptosis were found in higher concentrations in women with vulvovaginal candidiasis and cytolytic vaginosis, while lipids related to epithelial tissue integrity were more pronounced in the control group. Furthermore, in women with cytolytic vaginosis, we observed higher concentrations of lipids related to bacterial overgrowth.