Metaproteomics characterizes human gut microbiome function in colorectal cancer

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Gastroenterology
• Proteomics

Background:

• Colorectal cancer (CRC) pathogenesis is linked to gut microbiome alterations.
• Previous research focused on microbial taxonomic changes, leaving functional variations largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate functional differences in the gut microbiome of CRC patients versus healthy individuals using quantitative metaproteomics.
• To identify specific microbial protein alterations associated with CRC.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative metaproteomic analysis of fecal samples from CRC patients and healthy volunteers.
• Identification and quantification of microbial peptides and protein groups.
• Statistical analysis to determine significant differences in protein abundance.

Main Results:

• Identified 91,902 peptides, 30,062 microbial protein groups, and 195 microbial genera.
• 341 microbial proteins showed significantly different abundance between CRC patients and controls.
• Altered proteins were associated with iron metabolism, oxidative stress, and DNA repair, linked to high local iron and oxidative stress in CRC patients' colons.

Conclusions:

• Metaproteomics provides valuable functional insights into the gut microflora relevant to CRC pathogenesis.
• Identified functional microbial shifts may aid in future clinical diagnosis of colorectal cancer.