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Published on: February 28, 2018
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Causal associations between gut microbiota and urological tumors: a two-sample mendelian randomization study
Wang Mingdong1, Gao Xiang2, Quan Yongjun1
1Department of Urology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
BMC Cancer
|September 11, 2023
Summary
Gut microbiota dysbiosis is linked to urological cancers. This study found specific bacteria, like Bifidobacterium and Ruminococcustorques, are causally related to increased risks of bladder, prostate, and kidney cancers.
Area of Science:
- Microbiome research
- Cancer epidemiology
- Genetics
Background:
- Gut microbiota dysbiosis is associated with various diseases, including cancer.
- The role of gut microbiota in urological tumors like bladder cancer (BCa), prostate cancer (PCa), and kidney cancer (KCa) is under investigation.
- The causal relationship between gut microbiota dysbiosis and urological cancers remains controversial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential causal relationship between gut microbiota and urological cancers (BCa, PCa, KCa).
- To identify specific bacterial traits associated with the risk of developing BCa, PCa, and KCa.
Main Methods:
- Utilized microbiome genome-wide association study (GWAS) data from the MiBioGen consortium (18,340 samples).
- Extracted outcomes data from GWAS of FinnGen and PRACTICAL consortia for BCa, KCa, and PCa.
- Performed two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis with inverse-variance weighted or Wald ratio methods, including sensitivity and reverse MR analyses.
Main Results:
- Bifidobacterium, Actinobacteria, and Ruminococcustorques group were associated with an increased risk of BCa.
- Allisonella showed an association with decreased risk of BCa and PCa.
- Ruminococcustorques group and Erysipelatoclostridium were causally linked to an elevated risk of KCa.
Conclusions:
- Genetically predicted gut microbiota composition is causally related to BCa, PCa, and KCa.
- Distinct bacterial traits are identified as risk factors for specific urological cancer types.
- This MR study provides evidence supporting the etiological role of gut microbiota in urological malignancies.
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