Fusobacterium nucleatum: a transboundary pathogen in host-microbiota networks

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Immunology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) is an oral bacterium linked to systemic diseases including colorectal cancer (CRC), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), arthritis, and preterm birth.
• Fn's transition from commensal to pathogen involves complex virulence factors and interactions within the host and microbial communities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize subspecies-specific pathogenic mechanisms of Fusobacterium nucleatum.
• To elucidate Fn's role in immune evasion, inflammation modulation, and tumor progression.
• To explore Fn's interactions within microbial networks and the impact of microbial metabolites.

Main Methods:

• Literature review synthesizing current research on Fusobacterium nucleatum pathogenicity.
• Analysis of Fn's virulence factors, immune interactions, and role in disease progression.
• Examination of Fn's synergistic and antagonistic interactions with other microbes and metabolites.

Main Results:

• Fn utilizes virulence factors for immune evasion, inflammation modulation, and tumor progression.
• In the gut, Fn disrupts intestinal barrier integrity, alters immune balance (Th17/Treg), and induces macrophage polarization.
• Fn engages in context-dependent interactions with other microbes and metabolites, influencing disease outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Fusobacterium nucleatum possesses diverse pathogenic mechanisms contributing to various systemic diseases.
• Understanding Fn's interactions within the microbiota and its metabolic influence is crucial for developing novel interventions.
• Targeting Fn and its associated microbial network offers potential therapeutic strategies for microbiota-driven pathologies.