Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy analysis of menstrual cycle: From biochemical changes to diagnostics of vaginal infections

• DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2024.135571
• Publication Date: 2024-03-02T03:44:55Z
• Authors: Sylwia M. Berus; Beata Młynarczyk-...; Grażyna Przedpełska; Tomasz Szymborski; Agnieszka Kamińska
• Keywords: vaginal fluid; vaginal infection; Surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy; SERS; chemometric analysis; menstrual spotting; menstrual cycle; menstrual blood

The variability of different processes occurring in a vagina during menstrual cycle can affect the biochemical composition of vaginal fluid. In this study, SERS was adopted to directly track the biochemical changes recorded in spectra of analyzed clinical individuum. With the support of the PLSR technique, we distinguished 3 types of body fluid (menses, menstrual spotting, vaginal fluid) at the level of explained information accounting for 87% (X matrix), 69% (Y matrix) by 3 subsequent factors. We also detected that differential bands responsible for the separation can be assigned to hemoglobin or porphyrin as the main component of blood. Moreover, we demonstrated an excellent separation of vaginal fluid in terms of fertile and infertile phase - 82% (X matrix) with 59% (Y matrix) and inflammation of vagina - 78% (X matrix) with 64% (Y matrix). Considering the distant separation related to the presence of etiological agent we conclude about greater spectral effect due to infection than the day of the menstrual cycle per se. The described results are crucial for the subsequent research in terms of vaginal infections.