Altered vaginal eukaryotic virome is associated with different cervical disease status

Viruses are important components of the human body. Growing evidence suggests that they are engaged in the physiology and disease status of the host. Even though the vaginal microbiome is involved in human papillo-mavirus (HPV) infection and cervical cancer (CC) progression, little is known about the role of the vaginal virome. In this pilot exploratory study, using unbiased viral metagenomics, we aim to investigate the vaginal eukaryotic virome in women with different levels of cervical lesions, and examine their associations with different cervical disease status. An altered eukaryotic virome was observed in women with different levels of lesions and Lacto-bacillus profiles. Anelloviruses and papillomaviruses are the most commonly detected eukaryotic viruses of the vaginal virome. Higher abundance and richness of anelloviruses and papillomaviruses were associated with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) and CC. Besides, higher anellovirus abundance was also associated with lactobacillus-depleted microbiome profiles and bacterial community state (CST) type IV. Furthermore, increased correlations between Anelloviridae and Papillomaviridae occurred in the women with increased cervical disease severity level from LSIL to CC. These data suggest underlying interactions between different microbes as well as the host physiology. Higher abundance and diversity of both anelloviruses and papillomaviruses shared by LSIL and CC suggest that anellovirus may be used as a potential adjunct biomarker to predict the risk of HPV persistent infection and/or CC. Future studies need to focus on the clinical relevance of anellovirus abundance with cervical disease status, and the evaluation of their potential as a new adjunct biomarker for the prediction and prognoses of CC.

Automated summary

In this pilot exploratory study, the vaginal eukaryotic virome in women with different levels of cervical lesions was investigated using viral metagenomics. An altered eukaryotic virome was observed in women with different levels of lesions and Lacto-bacillus profiles. Anelloviruses and papillomaviruses were the most commonly detected eukaryotic viruses of the vaginal virome, and their abundance and diversity were associated with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) and cervical cancer (CC).