The feasibility of immunocytochemical assessment of MUM1 marker expression in liquid-based Рap tests for the diagnosis of chronic cervicitis
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objective of the study: to evaluate the clinical utility of immunocytochemical assessment of MUM1 expression in liquid-based Pap tests for the diagnosis of chronic cervicitis.Materials and methods. Cytological specimens obtained from 50 women aged 23–60 years with inflammatory cervical lesions were examined. All patients underwent gynecological examination with cervical sample collection, conventional cytological evaluation by light microscopy, immunocytochemical staining using a monoclonal antibody against MUM1 followed by light microscopic assessment, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for human papillomavirus (HPV), and microbiological testing for sexually transmitted pathogens. Colposcopy with cervical biopsy and subsequent histopathological examination were performed when clinically indicated.All patients received etiological treatment. Three months after the initiation of therapy, follow-up gynecological examination and repeat cytological assessment were performed.Results. According to the 2014 Bethesda System, all 50 patients were diagnosed with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US). PCR testing confirmed HPV infection in only 8 (16.0%) women, whereas 42 (84.0%) patients were HPV-negative, indicating that the observed cytological abnormalities represented reactive changes associated with chronic inflammation rather than HPV-related epithelial lesions.Following etiological anti-inflammatory therapy and restoration of the normal vaginal microbiota, all HPV-negative patients were reclassified as negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (NILM), confirming the inflammatory rather than HPV-associated origin of the cytological abnormalities.Immunocytochemical analysis demonstrated positive nuclear MUM1 expression in plasma cells in cases of true chronic cervicitis, with a mean of 1.14 MUM1-positive cells per 10 high-power fields, whereas no MUM1 expression was detected in patients with HPV infection. These findings indicate high specificity of MUM1 for chronic cervicitis. However, the substantial proportion of negative immunostaining results (44.0–66.7%) and considerable variability of MUM1-positive cell counts (average value 1.14; standard deviation 1.78) indicate limited sensitivity of the method. No statistically significant association was found between the number of MUM1-positive cells and the etiological agent of the infectious process.Conclusions. The combination of liquid-based cytology, HPV PCR testing, microbiological examination, and immunocytochemical assessment of MUM1 expression may improve the differential diagnosis of chronic cervicitis and reactive cervical epithelial changes.Etiological and anti-inflammatory treatment followed by restoration of the normal vaginal microbiota remains an important component of the management of inflammatory diseases of the cervix.
Source: Reproductive Endocrinology
Authors: I.I. Daineko, N.V. Kosei, H.V. Vetokh
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7203480434