METHODS: In our study, we retrospectively collected medical information from women who underwent leukorrhea examination at our hospital. We excluded women with infectious diseases or cancer, those who were pregnant or within 6 months post-delivery, and those without HPV test results within 6 months. The association between percentage of HPV infection and vaginal pH value was analyzed. Furthermore, we prepared HPV pseudovirus (PsVs) by co-transfecting structure plasmids and report plasmids in 293FT cells. In vitro, we changed the pH value of cell culture medium to investigate its influence on HPV PsVs infection. In vivo, we changed mouse\'s vaginal pH value to investigate its influence on HPV PsVs infection.
RESULTS: Our retrospective study included 3115 women aged 20-78, including 2531 women with HPV negative and 584 women with HPV positive. The percentages of both HPV infection and high-risk HPV infection were higher in women with a vaginal pH value ≥5.0 compared to those with a pH value < 5.0. In vitro, HPV PsVs infection rate was higher in cell culture medium of higher pH value, dominantly due to the influence of pH value on the stage of HPV PsVs adhering to cell surface. Neither of the cell surface HPV receptors Syndecan-1 nor integrin α6 was found to be changed obviously in different pH values. In vivo, more HPV PsVs were adhered to the mouse\'s vaginal epithelial cells with the increase of the vaginal pH value.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests a possible association between vaginal pH value and HPV infection. The pH value can influence the susceptibility of HPV PsVs infection by affecting the adhering of HPV PsVs to cells in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, the cell surface HPV receptors Syndecan-1 and Integrin α6 do not seem to be affected by pH value, and the specific mechanism needs to be further explored.
方法:在我们的研究中,我们回顾性地收集了在我院接受白带检查的女性患者的医疗信息.我们排除了患有传染病或癌症的女性,那些怀孕或分娩后6个月内的人,以及在6个月内没有HPV检测结果的人。分析HPV感染百分比与阴道pH值之间的相关性。此外,我们通过共转染结构质粒制备了HPV假病毒(PsV),并在293FT细胞中报道了质粒。体外,我们改变细胞培养基的pH值以探讨其对HPVPsV感染的影响。在体内,我们改变小鼠的阴道pH值以研究其对HPVPsV感染的影响。
结果:我们的回顾性研究包括3115名20-78岁的女性,包括2531名HPV阴性的女性和584名HPV阳性的女性。与pH值<5.0的女性相比,阴道pH值≥5.0的女性中HPV感染和高危HPV感染的百分比更高。体外,在pH值较高的细胞培养基中,HPVPsVs感染率较高,主要是由于pH值对HPVPsV粘附到细胞表面的阶段的影响。在不同的pH值下,细胞表面HPV受体Syndecan-1和整合素α6均未发现明显变化。在体内,随着阴道pH值的增加,更多的HPVPsV粘附在小鼠的阴道上皮细胞上。
结论:我们的研究提示阴道pH值与HPV感染之间可能存在关联。pH值可以通过影响HPVPsV在体内和体外与细胞的粘附来影响HPVPsV感染的易感性。此外,细胞表面HPV受体Syndecan-1和整合素α6似乎不受pH值的影响,具体机制有待进一步探索。