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Correlation between melatonin concentration and cytokines in cervical mucus in positive samples for the presence of human papillomavirus

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Abstract

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main causative agent of cervical cancer, characterized by neoplastic lesions in the cervix. Based on the morphology of the cells of the uterine cervix, the findings are classified as negative intraepithelial lesions for malignancies, low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs), atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance and atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance without excluding HSILs (ASCs-H). The progression of neoplastic lesions is related to the cervix's microenvironmental inflammatory process and mediated by the expression and stimulation of cytokines. Cervical mucus is a viscous liquid secretion composed of proteins, inorganic components, pro-and anti-inflammatory agents, and an important protective barrier. This study aimed to quantify and correlate cytokines IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 and Melatonin in cervical mucus. According to the results, a decrease in MLT was observed in LSIL, HSI, and ASC-H groups than in the NILM group. The cytokines IL-6 and IL-8 showed greater expression in the LSIL and HSIL groups than the NILM group. HSIL group showed a negative correlation between the MLT and IL-6 and IL-8 concentrations. In the ASC-US group, IL8 level was positively correlated to MLT levels. We suggest that IL-6, IL-8, and MLT levels in HSIL groups are decisive for the progression of neoplastic lesions in HPV infections. New cervical cancer treatment strategies may include cytokine and melatonin control targets for effective immunotherapy.

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Data availability

The original data are shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and Table 1 used to support this study's findings are available from the corresponding author upon request.

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Funding

This study was funded by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior- Brazil (CAPES) funded project code 001. This work was supported by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico-CNPq under Grant (number 447218/2014–0 and 305725/2018–1), Brazil.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biosciences, Federal University of South Mato Grosso, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil

    Aron Carlos de Melo Cotrim & Inês Aparecida Tozetti

  2. Institute of Biological and Health Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Barra do Garças, MT, Brazil

    Eduardo Luzia França, Jordana Santos Martins, Katleyn Polizeli Galvão Silva, Mahmi Fujimori & Adenilda Cristina Honorio-França

  3. Barra do Garças, MT, Brazil

    Yehya Chakib Ghalfi & Izabela Trindade Machado

Authors
  1. Aron Carlos de Melo Cotrim
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  2. Eduardo Luzia França
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  4. Katleyn Polizeli Galvão Silva
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  8. Adenilda Cristina Honorio-França
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  9. Inês Aparecida Tozetti
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eduardo Luzia França.

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All the authors declare no conflict of interest and non-financial competing interests.

Ethics approval

The local Ethics Committee approved this study under the number protocol 2.735.360.

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All the volunteers selected to participate provided informed consent before participating in the study, and guidelines have been duly followed.

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Cotrim, A.C.M., França, E.L., Martins, J.S. et al. Correlation between melatonin concentration and cytokines in cervical mucus in positive samples for the presence of human papillomavirus. Cancer Immunol Immunother 70, 2721–2726 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-021-02922-7

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