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Gut Microbiota and Antitumor Immunity: Potential Mechanisms for Clinical Effect

Erez N Baruch1,2, Jingjing Wang3, Jennifer A Wargo2,4

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas. jwargo@mdanderson.org ENBaruch@mdanderson.org.

Cancer Immunology Research
|May 18, 2021
PubMed

Insights

The gut microbiota influences cancer immunotherapy effectiveness by modulating immune cell activity. Strategies like fecal transplants and probiotics aim to enhance anti-cancer immune responses.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Microbiology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Preclinical studies link gut microbiota composition to cancer immunotherapy efficacy.
  • Clinical trials are exploring microbiota modulation to improve treatment outcomes.
  • Mechanisms underlying microbiota's influence on immunotherapy remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the mechanisms by which gut microbiota impacts immunotherapy effectiveness.
  • To discuss various gut microbiota modulation strategies and their therapeutic potential.
  • To explore the immune activation pathways involved.

Main Methods:

  • Review of preclinical and clinical findings on gut microbiota modulation.
  • Analysis of studies involving fecal transplantation, probiotics, consortia, and diet.
  • Discussion of proposed immune activation mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • Favorable gut microbiota modulation correlates with increased CD8+ T cell infiltration into tumors.
  • Enhanced microbiota is associated with increased T-helper type 1 cell and dendritic cell activity.
  • Microbiota modulation can lead to a reduction in immunosuppressive cells within the tumor microenvironment.

Conclusions:

  • Gut microbiota influences immunotherapy by activating pattern recognition receptors, molecular mimicry, and metabolite production.
  • Various modulation techniques show therapeutic potential but have limitations.
  • Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for optimizing cancer immunotherapy.

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