Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, 270, Rama VI Rd., Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
Ramathibodi Medical School, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, 111, Suwannabhumi Canal Rd., Samut Prakan, 10540, Thailand.
Sci Rep. 2024 Mar 28;14(1):7417. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-58118-3.
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.
绝经后泌尿生殖系统综合征（GSM）是接受芳香化酶抑制剂治疗的乳腺癌幸存者阴道症状的主要原因。然而，目前对于有乳腺癌病史的女性，尚无有效的治疗选择。最近的研究已经确定，阴道微生物组的变化可能与 GSM 有关。大多数研究在评估微生物组时都没有考虑雌激素状态。在雌激素水平低且伴有或不伴有外阴阴道症状的患者中，阴道微生物组是否存在差异仍不清楚。为了解决这些研究问题，我们的研究比较了接受芳香化酶抑制剂治疗的乳腺癌幸存者中伴有和不伴有外阴阴道症状的阴道微生物组。共招募了 50 名接受芳香化酶抑制剂治疗的乳腺癌幸存者，其中 25 名有外阴阴道症状，25 名无外阴阴道症状。采集阴道拭子。进行 DNA 提取，然后对 16S 核糖体 RNA 基因的 V3-V4 区进行测序。通过线性判别分析效应大小进行差异丰度分析。检查了分类学分配、alpha 多样性和 beta 多样性。在外阴阴道症状组中，属 Sneathia 和属 Gardnerella 的相对丰度显著增加，而细菌多样性和丰富度无差异。
