Background: Cancer impacts millions of lives globally each year, with approximately 10 million cancer-related deaths recorded worldwide in 2020. Mounting research has recognised the human microbiome as a key area of interest in the pathophysiology of various human diseases including cancer tumorigenesis, progression and in disease outcome. It is suggested that approximately 20% of human cancers may be linked to microbes. Certain residents of the human microbiome have been identified as potentially playing a role, including: Helicobacter pylori, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Escherichia coli, Bacteroides fragilis and Porphyromonas gingivalis.
Main Body: In this review, we explore the current evidence that indicate a link between the human microbiome and cancer. Microbiome compositional changes have been well documented in cancer patients. Furthermore, pathogenic microbes harbouring specific virulence factors have been implicated in driving the carcinogenic activity of various malignancies including colorectal, gastric and pancreatic cancer. The associated genetic mechanisms with possible roles in cancer will be outlined. It will be indicated which microbes have a potential direct link with cancer cell proliferation, tumorigenesis and disease progression. Recent studies have also linked certain microbial cytotoxins and probiotic strains to cancer cell death, suggesting their potential to target the tumour microenvironment given that cancer cells are integral to its composition. Studies pertaining to such cytotoxic activity have suggested the benefit of microbial therapies in oncological treatment regimes. It is also apparent that bacterial pathogenic protein products encoded for by certain loci may have potential as oncogenic therapeutic targets given their possible role in tumorigenesis.
Conclusion: Research investigating the impact of the human microbiome in cancer has recently gathered pace. Vast amounts of evidence indicate the human microbiome as a potential player in tumorigenesis and progression. Promise in the development of cancer biomarkers and in targeted oncological therapies has also been demonstrated, although more studies are needed. Despite extensive in vitro and in vivo research, clinical studies involving large cohorts of human patients are lacking. The current literature suggests that further intensive research is necessary to validate both the role of the human microbiome in cancer, and the use of microbiome modification in cancer therapy.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12866-022-02465-6 | DOI Listing |
Adv Sci (Weinh)
January 2025
Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, 130062, China.
Microbial transmission from mother to infant is important for offspring microbiome formation and health. However, it is unclear whether maternal gut inflammation (MGI) during lactation influences mother-to-infant microbial transmission and offspring microbiota and disease susceptibility. In this study, it is found that MGI during lactation altered the gut microbiota of suckling pups by shaping the maternal microbiota in the gut and mammary glands.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFKlin Mikrobiol Infekc Lek
March 2024
Department of Microbiology, Olomouc University Hospital, Czech Republic, e-mail:
Objectives: Staphylococcus aureus is part of the human microbiota, but at the same time, it is capable of causing a wide range of diseases. Due to the ever-increasing resistance to antimicrobial agents and the existence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains, there is a real possibility of carrying even this resistant bacterium, which can subsequently cause a severe infection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPharmacol Rep
January 2025
Laboratory of Translational Physiology and Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, Vila Velha University (UVV), R Mercurio s/n, Vila Velha, ES, 29102623, Brazil.
Background: The therapeutic targeting of the intestinal microbiota has gained increasing attention as a promising avenue for addressing mood disorders. This study aimed to assess the potential effect of supplementing standard pharmacological treatment with the probiotic kefir in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).
Methods: Thirty-eight female participants diagnosed with moderate MDD by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) were selected to receive the probiotic kefir in conjunction with antidepressant therapy for 12 weeks.
Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins
January 2025
Operational Research Centre in Healthcare, Near East University, Nicosia, Cyprus.
This review paper delves into the role of probiotics and food bioactives in influencing gut health and overall well-being, within the context of probiotics and food bioactives, emphasizing their roles in modulating inflammation, gut microbiota, and metabolic health. Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms that confer health benefits to the host, primarily through their impact on the gut microbiome; a complex community of microorganisms crucial for maintaining health. The review aims to elucidate how probiotics, incorporated into both traditional and modern food systems, can enhance gut health and address metabolic disorders.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCardiovasc Drugs Ther
January 2025
Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China.
Purpose: Doxorubicin (Dox) is a classic anthracycline chemotherapy drug with cause cumulative and dose-dependent cardiotoxicity. This study aimed to investigate the potential role and molecular mechanism of phenylacetylglutamine (PAGln), a novel gut microbiota metabolite, in Dox-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC).
Methods: DIC models were established in vivo and in vitro, and a series of experiments were performed to verify the cardioprotective effect of PAGln.
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