Abstract
BackgroundWith the improvement of bacterial detection, the theory of the sterile female upper reproductive tract has been frequently challenged in recent years. However, thus far, no researchers have used ovaries as study targets.MethodsSix women who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer were included in the cancer group, and ten women who were diagnosed with a noncancerous ovarian condition (including three patients with uterine myoma and seven patients with uterine adenomyosis) were included in the control group. Immunohistochemistry staining using an antibacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) antibody was used to confirm the presence of bacteria in the ovarian tissues. In addition, 16S rRNA sequencing was used to compare the differences in the bacteria between ovarian cancer tissues and noncancerous ovarian tissues. BugBase and Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt) were used to predict the functional composition of the bacteria.ResultsBacterial LPS was present in ovarian cancer tissue and noncancerous ovarian tissue, which implied the presence of bacteria in ovarian tissue. When compared to the noncancerous ovarian bacteria at the phylum level, the cancerous ovarian bacteria were composed of increased Aquificae and Planctomycetes and decreased Crenarchaeota. When predicting metagenomes, gene functions associated with the potentially pathogenic and the oxidative stress-tolerant phenotype were enriched in the ovaries of the cancer group. Forty-six significantly different KEGG pathways existed in the ovarian bacteria of the cancer group compared to that of the control group.ConclusionsDifferent bacteria compositions were present in cancerous and noncancerous ovarian tissues.Trial registrationChines Clinical Trail Registry, CHiCTR1800020018, Registered 11 September 2018, http://www.chictr.org.cn/
Highlights
Abdominal solid viscera, including the pancreas, kidney, spleen, liver and ovary, have always been believed to be absolutely sterile
Ten women who were diagnosed with benign endometrial conditions with noncancerous ovaries were set as the control group, and six women who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer were set as the cancer group
The presence of bacteria in the ovaries To confirm the presence of bacteria in ovaries using nonPCR-based methods, we performed immunohistochemistry staining using an antibacterial LPS antibody
Summary
Abdominal solid viscera, including the pancreas, kidney, spleen, liver and ovary, have always been believed to be absolutely sterile. The upper female reproductive tract, including the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries, has been believed to be absolutely sterile due to the obstacle of the cervix, which is being challenged. Research has confirmed that the uterus and fallopian tubes represent a functionally united peristaltic pump under the endocrine (2020) 13:8 control of the ovaries [5], which may aid the bacteria to enter the endometrium, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. With the improvement of bacterial detection, the theory of the sterile female upper reproductive tract has been frequently challenged in recent years. Far, no researchers have used ovaries as study targets
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