Microbiome analysis in individuals with human papillomavirus oral infection

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 15; no. 1; pp. 2953 - 13
• Main Authors: Escobar Marcillo, David Israel, Privitera, Grete Francesca, Rollo, Francesca, Latini, Alessandra, Giuliani, Eugenia, Benevolo, Maria, Giuliani, Massimo, Pichi, Barbara, Pellini, Raul, Donà, Maria Gabriella
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 23.01.2025; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/326/2565/2134; 631/326/421; Adult; Cancer; Female; HIV; HIV Infections - complications; HIV Infections - microbiology; HIV Infections - virology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human papillomavirus; Human Papillomavirus Viruses; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Infections; Male; Microbiomes; Microbiota - genetics; Middle Aged; Mouth - microbiology; Mouth - virology; multidisciplinary; Oral carcinoma; Oral infection; Oropharyngolaryngeal carcinoma; Papillomaviridae - genetics; Papillomavirus Infections - complications; Papillomavirus Infections - microbiology; Papillomavirus Infections - virology; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; rRNA 16S; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Squamous cell carcinoma; Throat cancer
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-81607-4

Microbiome gained attention as a cofactor in cancers originating from epithelial tissues. High-risk (hr)HPV infection causes oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma but only in a fraction of hrHPV+ individuals, suggesting that other factors play a role in cancer development. We investigated oral microbiome in cancer-free subjects harboring hrHPV oral infection (n = 33) and matched HPV− controls (n = 30). DNA purified from oral rinse-and-gargles of HIV-infected (HIV+) and HIV-uninfected (HIV−) individuals were used for 16S rRNA gene V3–V4 region amplification and sequencing. Analysis of differential microbial abundance and differential pathway abundance was performed, separately for HIV+ and HIV− individuals. Significant differences in alpha (Chao-1 and Shannon indices) and beta diversity (unweighted UniFrac distance) were observed between hrHPV+ and HPV-negative subjects, but only for the HIV− individuals. Infection by hrHPVs was associated with significant changes in the abundance of Saccharibacteria in HIV+ and Gracilibacteria in HIV− subjects. At the genus level, the greatest change in HIV+ individuals was observed for Bulleidia , which was significantly enriched in hrHPV+ subjects . In HIV− individuals, those hrHPV+ showed a significant enrichment of Parvimonas and depletion of Alloscardovia . Our data suggest a possible interplay between hrHPV infection and oral microbiome, which may vary with the HIV status.