Predictable regulation of survival by intratumoral microbe-immune crosstalk in patients with lung adenocarcinoma

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Microbiology
• Immunology

Background:

• Intratumoral microbiota modulate the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), impacting cancer prognosis.
• The role of intratumoral microbes in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) progression and TIME is under investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between intratumoral microbial communities and prognosis in LUAD.
• To explore the relationship between intratumoral microbiota, immune cells, and patient survival outcomes in LUAD.

Main Methods:

• Utilized The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database for LUAD patients (n=478).
• Analyzed matched tumor microbiome, host transcriptome, and survival data.
• Employed machine learning models based on immune cell marker genes for survival prediction and risk stratification.

Main Results:

• Machine learning models accurately predicted 1- to 5-year survival in LUAD patients.
• Significant differences in intratumoral microbial communities were observed between high- and low-survival-risk groups.
• High-risk patients exhibited higher alpha diversity and enrichment of *Streptococcus*, while low-risk patients showed more active microbial-immune crosstalk.

Conclusions:

• Intratumoral microbiota-immune crosstalk is strongly associated with LUAD prognosis.
• Findings suggest intratumoral microbes and their interaction with the immune system as potential targets for precise therapeutic strategies in LUAD.