Microbial Genomic Consortia in Prostate Cancer: Mechanistic Signaling, the Gut-Prostate Axis, and Translational
Eduardo Pérez-Campos Mayoral1, Laura Pérez-Campos Mayoral1, María Teresa Hernández-Huerta2
1Centro de Investigación Facultad de Medicina UNAM-UABJO, Facultad de Medicina y Cirugía, Universidad Autónoma "Benito Juárez" de Oaxaca, Oaxaca 68020, Mexico.
Cancers
|May 4, 2026
Summary
Microbial communities in the prostate and gut may influence prostate cancer (PCa) development and progression through inflammation and altered signaling. More research is needed to confirm causality and develop microbial targets for PCa prevention and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Oncology
- Genomics
Background:
- Prostate cancer (PCa) development involves complex interactions between host genetics, androgen signaling, and the microbiome.
- Genomic evidence indicates microbial presence in prostate tissue, suggesting a role in inflammation, oncogenic signaling, and treatment resistance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current literature on the role of microbial consortia in prostate cancer initiation, progression, and therapeutic resistance.
- To synthesize findings from human studies and experimental models, focusing on genomic and signaling pathways.
Main Methods:
- Narrative review of studies published between 2020-2025, supplemented by mechanistic reports.
- Targeted searches of PubMed and Google Scholar.
- Qualitative synthesis of evidence, prioritizing human and prostate model studies with mechanistic insights.
Main Results:
- Low-biomass microbial DNA is consistently found in prostate tissue; corpora amylacea may contain microbial DNA and proteins.
- Recurrent microbial signals (bacteria, viruses) converge on tumor-relevant pathways (e.g., TLR-NF-κB, PI3K/AKT/mTOR), potentially promoting inflammation, DNA damage, and therapy resistance.
- The gut-prostate axis links intestinal dysbiosis to systemic signaling and castration resistance in PCa.
Conclusions:
- Prostate and gut microbial consortia may influence PCa by shaping inflammatory, metabolic, and immune networks.
- Current data are largely correlative, limited by sampling, contamination, and study design heterogeneity.
- Future research requires rigorous contamination control, mechanistic studies, and multi-omic approaches to identify actionable microbial targets.
