Characterization of fecal microbiota in cervical cancer patients associated with tumor stage and prognosis

Lei Chang; Luojie Qiu; Ningjing Lei; Junying Zhou; Ruixia Guo; Feng Gao; Shiliang Dong; Mengyu Chen; Fengling Wu; Bo Qin

doi:10.3389/fcimb.2023.1145950

Characterization of fecal microbiota in cervical cancer patients associated with tumor stage and prognosis

Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2023 Feb 23:13:1145950. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1145950. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Lei Chang¹, Luojie Qiu¹, Ningjing Lei², Junying Zhou¹, Ruixia Guo¹, Feng Gao^{3

4}, Shiliang Dong⁵, Mengyu Chen¹, Fengling Wu¹, Bo Qin⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
² School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
³ Department of Neuroimmunology, Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
⁴ Henan Engineering Technology Research Center for Accurate Diagnosis Neuroimmunity, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
⁵ Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
⁶ Translational Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.

Abstract

Cervical cancer (CC) is the fourth most frequent malignancy among women worldwide, and its prevention and treatment are evolving rapidly. The gut microbiota has been reported to play a crucial role both in the preservation of homeostasis and the development of cervical cancer. In this study, we collected fecal samples to investigate the microbial signatures in cervical cancer patients compared with healthy controls using 16S rRNA sequencing analysis and metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) testing. Our findings demonstrated a substantial difference in the gut microbiota composition of cervical cancer patients and healthy controls. The disease and stage were most significantly negatively correlated with Ruminococcus 2, which might be considered a potential clinically relevant biomarker. Functions of differential microbiomes were also analyzed, indicating significant differences in metabolisms and biosynthesis between the two groups. These findings demonstrate that patients with cervical cancer have certain species of gut microbiota that are exclusive to them and particular species have the potential to be used in the prognosis of cervical cancer.

Keywords: 16S rRNA sequencing; Ruminococcus 2; cervical cancer; fecal microbiota; metagenomic next-generation sequencing.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Feces
Female
Gastrointestinal Microbiome* / genetics
Humans
Microbiota*
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

Substances

RNA, Ribosomal, 16S

Grants and funding

Henan Provincial Medical Science and Technology Research Plan Joint Provincial and Ministry Youth Project (No.SB201902013), Scientific and Technological Project of Henan Province (No.182102310325 and 192102310069), Henan Province Colleges and Universities Innovative Talent Support Program (No.21HASTIT044), Henan Medical Education Research Project (No.Wjlx2020062), Henan Youth Talent Promotion Project (No.2020HYTP052), Central Plains Youth Top Talent Project, and High-level Talents Return to China for Research Funding Project.