Differences in the Biliary Microbiome Between Biliary Tract Cancer and Benign Biliary Disease

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Gastroenterology
• Oncology

Background:

• The bile microbiome plays a role in various diseases.
• Understanding differences between benign and malignant biliary conditions is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify differences in the bile microbiome between patients with biliary tract cancer (BTC) and benign biliary diseases (BBDs).

Main Methods:

• Aseptic bile samples were collected from 141 patients undergoing procedures for BTC or BBD.
• Bacterial 16S rRNA gene V3-V4 region was amplified using PCR.
• Metagenomic sequencing was performed on selected bile samples.

Main Results:

• Metagenomic sequencing was successful in 35 BTC and 24 BBD samples.
• Alpha diversity showed no significant difference between groups (p=0.399).
• Distinct bacterial species were identified: Bacteroides coprocola, Prevotella copri, and Bacteroides plebeius were more frequent in BTC, while Bacteroides vulgatus and Bacteroides uniformis were more abundant in BBD.

Conclusions:

• Distinct bile microbiome patterns are associated with BTC and BBD.
• The bile microbiome shows potential for diagnosing biliary tract diseases and requires further validation.