Vaginal microbiomes of breast cancer survivors treated with aromatase inhibitors with and without vulvovaginal symptoms

Study information

Reviewed Marked as Reviewed by Svetlana up on 2024-6-10

study design

case-control

Citation

PMID PubMed identifier for scientific articles.

38548910

DOI Digital object identifier for electronic documents.

10.1038/s41598-024-58118-3

URI

Authors

Prasanchit P, Pongchaikul P, Lertsittichai P, Tantitham C, Manonai J

Journal

Scientific reports

Year

2024

Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is the leading cause of vaginal symptoms in breast cancer survivors treated with aromatase inhibitors. However, there are currently no effective treatment options available for women with a history of breast cancer. Recent research has established that changes in the vaginal microbiome may be linked to GSM. Most studies have assessed the microbiome without accounting for the estrogen status. It remains unknown whether the vaginal microbiome differ among patients with a low estrogenic state with and without vulvovaginal symptoms. To address such research questions, our study compares the vaginal microbiomes among breast cancer survivors treated with aromatase inhibitors with and without vulvovaginal symptoms. A total of 50 breast cancer survivors treated with aromatase inhibitors were recruited, among whom 25 had vulvovaginal symptoms and 25 had no vulvovaginal symptoms. Vaginal swabs were collected. DNA extraction, followed by sequencing of the V3-V4 regions of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene, were performed. Differential abundance analysis was conducted by linear discriminant analysis effect size. Taxonomy assignment, alpha diversity and beta diversity were examined. The relative abundance of genus Sneathia and genus Gardnerella was significantly increased in vulvovaginal symptoms group with no differences in bacterial diversity and richness.

Experiment 1

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Reviewed Marked as Reviewed by Svetlana up on 2024-6-10

Curated date: 2024/04/09

Curator: Rahila

Revision editor(s): Rahila, Scholastica

Subjects

Location of subjects: Thailand

Host species Species from which microbiome was sampled. Contact us to have more species added.: Homo sapiens

Body site Anatomical site where microbial samples were extracted from according to the Uber Anatomy Ontology: Vaginal fluid Vaginal discharge,Vaginal secretion,Vaginal fluid,vaginal fluid

Condition The experimental condition / phenotype studied according to the Experimental Factor Ontology: Vulvovaginitis Vulvo-vaginitis,Vulvovaginitis,vulvovaginitis

Group 0 name Corresponds to the control (unexposed) group for case-control studies: Non-vulvovaginal symptoms (control)

Group 1 name Corresponds to the case (exposed) group for case-control studies: Vulvovaginal symptoms

Group 1 definition Diagnostic criteria applied to define the specific condition / phenotype represented in the case (exposed) group: Breast cancer survivors treated with aromatase inhibitors with vulvovaginal symptoms

Group 0 sample size Number of subjects in the control (unexposed) group: 20

Group 1 sample size Number of subjects in the case (exposed) group: 20

Antibiotics exclusion Number of days without antibiotics usage (if applicable) and other antibiotics-related criteria used to exclude participants (if any): Within 7 days

Lab analysis

Sequencing type: 16S

16S variable region One or more hypervariable region(s) of the bacterial 16S gene: V3-V4

Sequencing platform Manufacturer and experimental platform used for quantifying microbial abundance: Illumina

Statistical Analysis

Data transformation Data transformation applied to microbial abundance measurements prior to differential abundance testing (if any).: relative abundances

Statistical test: LEfSe

Significance threshold p-value or FDR threshold used for differential abundance testing (if any): 0.05

MHT correction Have statistical tests be corrected for multiple hypothesis testing (MHT)?: No

LDA Score above Threshold for the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) score for studies using the popular LEfSe tool: 2.0

Alpha Diversity

Shannon Estimator of species richness and species evenness: more weight on species richness: unchanged

Chao1 Abundance-based estimator of species richness: unchanged

Simpson Estimator of species richness and species evenness: more weight on species evenness: unchanged

Signature 1

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Curated date: 2024/04/09

Curator: Rahila

Revision editor(s): Rahila, Scholastica

Source: FIG 3 (A)

Description: Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis of microbial abundance between breast cancer survivors treated with aromatase inhibitors with versus without vulvovaginal symptoms.

Abundance in Group 1: increased abundance in Vulvovaginal symptoms

NCBI	Quality Control	Links
Alloscardovia
Alloscardovia omnicolens
Corynebacterium riegelii
Fastidiosipila
Gardnerella
Gardnerella vaginalis
Gemelliphila asaccharolytica
Leptotrichiaceae
Sneathia
Sneathia sanguinegens
Fastidiosipila sp.
Peptoniphilus sp.

Revision editor(s): Rahila, Scholastica

Signature 2

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Reviewed Marked as Reviewed by Svetlana up on 2024-6-10

Curated date: 2024/04/09

Curator: Rahila

Revision editor(s): Rahila, Scholastica

Source: FIG 3 (A)

Description: Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis of microbial abundance between breast cancer survivors treated with aromatase inhibitors with versus without vulvovaginal symptoms.

Abundance in Group 1: decreased abundance in Vulvovaginal symptoms

NCBI	Quality Control	Links
Parvimonas micra

Revision editor(s): Rahila, Scholastica