Abstract 750: Specific oral bacterial profile associated with oral HPV status in Puerto Rican People with HIV
Authors: Ortiz-Maldonado Yakshi N. , Borges-Velez Gabriel , Torres-Reyes Jurelis , Peralta-Betanncourt Alvin A. , Salgado-Montilla Jeannette L. , Viera-Vera Jorge , Sanchez-Vazquez Maria M. , Martinez-Ferrer Magaly , Ortiz-Martinez Ana P. , Gonzalez-Garcia Ramon F. , Perez-Santiago Josue 
Published: March 2024

Human papillomavirus (HPV) accounts for more than 70% of oropharyngeal cancers and people with HIV (PWH) are disproportionately affected by HPV infection even with successful antiretroviral therapy. Puerto Rico (PR) is in the top ten in terms of HIV prevalence in the US, and also has disparities in HPV-related malignancies. The oral microbiome can increase the risk of HPV infection and persistence; however, it has not been investigated in the context of HIV in PR. Therefore, we evaluated diversity and composition of the oral bacteriome of 48 virologically suppressed PWH (men and women ≥21 and &lt;64 years old) living in PR in relation to HPV status (HPV+: n=18 vs. HPV-: n=30). We collected saliva (16S rDNA sequencing), oral rinse (HPV genotyping) as well as sociodemographic, lifestyle and behavioral characteristics. Short chain fatty acids (SCFA, acetate, butyrate and propionate) were quantified using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Periodontal disease was assessed by a clinical full-mouth periodontal assessment using the CDC/AAP guidelines. All analyses were performed using QIIME2 and R-statistical software. There were no significant differences in alpha diversity (Shannon, observed OTUs, and Faith) between HPV+ and HPV- groups. Absolute CD4 count was not significantly different between HPV+ and HPV- participants (794 cells/µL vs. 735 cells/µL), and did not correlate with either microbial richness or diversity. Higher microbial richness was associated with lower levels of acetate (r=-0.35, p&lt;0.05) and propionate (r=-0.31, p&lt;0.05,). Additionally, higher phylogenetic diversity was also associated with lower levels of acetate (r=-0.38, p&lt;0.05) and propionate (r=-0.35, p&lt;0.05) irrespective of the HPV status. On the other hand, higher levels of butyrate was significantly associated with higher microbial diversity (Shannon index; r=0.33, p&lt; 0.05). Taxonomic analyses showed significantly higher abundance of Dialister and Nanosynbacter genera in HPV+ participants and higher abundance of Rothia genus and Capnocytophaga sputigena in HPV- participants. Overall, we found specific prokaryotic profile and associated metabolites associated with HPV infection, which may suggest that the oral microbiome could influence the natural history of HPV infection via SCFA signaling. Members of the Dialister genus have been found to be prevalent in Hispanic and Black women cervicovaginal microbiota, and as well as in HPV infection and oral cancer. Understanding the underpinning mechanisms of how the oral microbiome can facilitate HPV infection and persistence in PWH is essential to establish targets for early identification and personalized treatment approaches for oral HPV-related malignancies.

Citation Format: Yakshi N. Ortiz-Maldonado, Gabriel Borges-Velez, Jurelis Torres-Reyes, Alvin A. Peralta-Betanncourt, Jeannette L. Salgado-Montilla, Jorge Viera-Vera, Maria M. Sanchez-Vazquez, Magaly Martinez-Ferrer, Ana P. Ortiz-Martinez, Ramon F. Gonzalez-Garcia, Josue Perez-Santiago. Specific oral bacterial profile associated with oral HPV status in Puerto Rican People with HIV [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 750.