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Microbiota Analysis Using Two-step PCR and Next-generation 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing
Published on: October 15, 2019
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Microbiota Effects on Carcinogenesis: Initiation, Promotion, and Progression
Lacey R Lopez1, Rachel M Bleich2, Janelle C Arthur1,3,4
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA; email: laceylop@email.unc.edu, janelle_arthur@med.unc.edu.
Annual Review of Medicine
|October 14, 2020
Summary
The gut microbiota, including specific bacteria like E. coli, B. fragilis, and F. nucleatum, plays a key role in cancer development. Understanding these microbial mechanisms is crucial for developing new cancer therapies.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Oncology
- Genetics
Background:
- Carcinogenesis is a complex, multistep process involving genetic and epigenetic alterations.
- The gut microbiota is increasingly recognized for its significant role in cancer development.
- Specific microbes are consistently linked to colorectal cancer (CRC) initiation and progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review experimental evidence linking microbial activities to carcinogenesis.
- To elucidate the specific mechanisms by which microbes drive cancer development.
- To highlight the importance of understanding microbial roles in cancer for therapeutic development.
Main Methods:
- Review of experimental evidence on microbial involvement in carcinogenesis.
- Analysis of mechanisms employed by key procarcinogenic microbes.
- Focus on three prominent microbes in colorectal cancer: E. coli, B. fragilis, and F. nucleatum.
Main Results:
- Colibactin-producing E. coli initiates carcinogenic DNA damage.
- Enterotoxigenic B. fragilis promotes tumorigenesis via toxin-induced proliferation and inflammation.
- Fusobacterium nucleatum enhances CRC progression through adhesins, promoting proliferation, immune evasion, and metastasis.
Conclusions:
- Microbial activities significantly contribute to cancer development at various stages.
- Understanding precise microbial mechanisms is essential for targeted cancer diagnosis and treatment.
- Targeting the microbiota offers a promising avenue for novel cancer prevention and therapy strategies.
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