Host-microbiota interactions in genitourinary cancer immunotherapy

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Immunology
• Microbiology

Background:

• Immunotherapy has advanced genitourinary cancer treatment but faces challenges like low response rates and drug resistance.
• The gut microbiota, termed the "second genome," significantly modulates host immune responses.
• Host-microbiome interactions impact the efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors by altering the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME).

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically analyze how urinary system-specific microbiota regulate the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME).
• To explore clinical strategies for microbiome-targeted therapies to enhance immunotherapy responses in urinary tumors.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of studies on gut and urothelial microbiota in genitourinary cancer immunotherapy.
• Analysis of mechanisms including metabolic regulation, immune cell function remodeling, and inflammatory signaling.
• Exploration of clinical translational strategies for microbiome modulation.

Main Results:

• Urinary system-specific microbiota influence TIME through metabolic, immune cell, and inflammatory pathways.
• Host-microbiome interactions are critical for the efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors.
• Microbiome composition affects the tumor immune microenvironment in genitourinary cancers.

Conclusions:

• Targeting the microbiome offers a promising strategy to enhance immunotherapy efficacy and safety for genitourinary cancers.
• Understanding host-microbiome interactions can lead to precision immunotherapy approaches for bladder, renal cell, and prostate cancers.
• Microbiome modulation presents new perspectives for overcoming immunotherapy challenges in urinary tumors.