Intestinal microflora provides biomarkers for infertile women with endometrial polyps

Abstract

Background

Endometrial polyps (EPs) are related to infertility; however, there are no biomarkers for identification.

Objective

We evaluated changes in the intestinal microflora to identify microflora-based biomarkers that may be useful for detecting EPs.

Material and methods

Intestinal specimens were prospectively collected from 100 women: 25 infertile women with EPs (InfEP + group), 25 infertile women without EPs (InfEP- group), and 50 healthy women (Fertile group). The microbiota composition was analyzed using 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplification and the intestinal expression of selected human genes using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

Results

The InfEP + group had higher proportions of Prevotella, Streptococcus, Fusobacterium, Fenollaria, and Porphyromonas than the InfEP- and Fertile groups, while the Fertile group had higher proportions of Faecalibacterium, Bacteroides, and Blautia. We constructed a microbial dysbiosis index based on the intestinal microbiota at the genus level as a predictive model. The most accurate model to predict the presence of EPs was that including the Fertile and InfEP + groups (area under the curve: 0.89, 95% confidence interval: 0.79–0.96). The InfEP- and Fertile groups had significant differences in microflora composition compared with the InfEP + group.

Conclusion

The intestinal microflora may be a useful biomarker for identifying EPs in infertile women.

Keywords:

• Endometrial polyps
• microbiota
• 16S rRNA
• intestinal microflora
• biomarkers

Acknowledgements

We thank Lin Chen (Department of Microbiology, Southern Medical University) and Ya Li Song (Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University) for their assistance with data collection.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are openly available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra, SRA:SRP306931.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grants 81703078, 81771609, 81800746, and 31570497; the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province under Grant 2017A010105025; and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation under Grant 2018M633077. In addition, funding was provided for the establishment of mathematical models based on vaginal microecology and intestinal microecology for predicting the recurrence risk of vulvovaginal candidiasis during pregnancy by the funding agency Dongguan Social Science and Technology Development Project (Key) under Grant 2018507150071620. The funding agencies had no role in study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the article for publication.