COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF GENE METHYLATION AND MICROBIOME PROFILE IN UTERINE CERVIX SAMPLES OBTAINED BY URINE, SELF-COLLECTION AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

• Grant number: 22/16783-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: July 01, 2023
• End date: June 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Lara Termini
• Grantee: Lara Termini
• Host Institution: Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo Octavio Frias de Oliveira (ICESP). Coordenadoria de Serviços de Saúde (CSS). Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Edmund Chada Baracat ; Gustavo Arantes Rosa Maciel ; Luisa Lina Villa

Abstract

Cervical cancer represents a serious public health problem in countries with low socioeconomic development. Despite the unquestionable contribution of the oncological cytology exam (Papanicolaou exam) in the reduction of this type of tumor, the detection of hrHPV DNA is an attractive strategy for the prevention of this type of disease. However, the HPV test may have relatively low specificity for detecting precursor lesions and cervical cancer, since the prevalence of hrHPV is high especially in sexually active and/or immunosuppressed women. In this way, the HPV test when used as a single screening test, can lead to many women being referred for colposcopy and/or treatment, without presenting lesions that require such actions.In the current project, the S5® test will be used to evaluate the methylation of HPV genes and a cellular gene. This test may improve the specificity in the detection of cervical lesions/cancer associated with HPV, since specific alterations in this methylation pattern are associated with the lesions described above. Recently, the vaginal microbiome has emerged as a new variable that can greatly influence the natural history of HPV-associated lesions and their clinical impact. In this context, the components of the cervico-vaginal microbiota in the samples obtained will be evaluated, in addition to the investigation of other sexually transmitted pathogens. This study aims to open new horizons for the detection of pre-neoplastic lesions and cervical cancer in samples obtained from urine and cervico-vaginal self-collection, to be compared with professional collection. This type of approach could be highly relevant in regions where cervical cancer prevention programs are based solely on cytology and where programs with adequate colposcopic resources and treatment are scarce. (AU)