IMR Press / CEOG / Volume 50 / Issue 1 / DOI: 10.31083/j.ceog5001017
Open Access Original Research
Vaginal Microbiota Changes in the Vulvar Lichen Simplex Chronicus
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1 Department of Gynecology, Sichuan University West China Second University Hospital, 610041 Chengdu, Sichuan, China
2 Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, Sichuan University West China Second University Hospital, 610041 Chengdu, Sichuan, China
*Correspondence: niuxy@scu.edu.cn (Xiaoyu Niu)
Academic Editor: Andrea Tinelli
Clin. Exp. Obstet. Gynecol. 2023, 50(1), 17; https://doi.org/10.31083/j.ceog5001017
Submitted: 1 October 2022 | Revised: 13 November 2022 | Accepted: 15 November 2022 | Published: 13 January 2023
Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Abstract

Background: The vulvar lichen simplex chronicus (VLSC) is a common condition in gynecologic clinics. Though VLSC is not life-threatening, it usually causes pruritus, soreness and dispareunia, which cause general discomfort. The exact etiology of VLSC is unclear. This study was performed to explore the vaginal microbiota of VLSC and to identify the possible microbial factors in attacks. Methods: Ninety women were recruited. 45 patients with VLSC and 45 women without vulvar symptom were identified as lichen simplex chronicus (LSC) and H groups respectively. The vaginal microbiota of the two arms were compared by the V3-V4 region of 16S rRNA sequencing. Results: The LSC group had less alpha diversity than H group (p < 0.05) and the beta diversity of LSC group was also distinct from the H group. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSE) analysis indicated that genus Sneathia and family Leptotrichiaceae were discriminant taxa in LSC group. Phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states (PICRUSt) analysis found that microbial genes related to the signal transduction, metabolism of terpenoids and polyketides, transporters, nervous system, energy metabolism and others were different in the LSC and H groups. Conclusions: VLSC was associated with dysbioss of vaginal microbiota profiles compared with healthy control cases.

Keywords
vaginal microbiota
vulvar lichen simplex chronicus
16S rRNA sequencing
Funding
2021YFC2009100/National Key Research and Development Program of China
2019YJ0044/foundation of Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province
Figures
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