Stress accelerates hepatocellular carcinoma progression via a gut microbial-metabolite axis

Hepatocellular carcinoma ranks among the most prevalent malignancies worldwide. While stress can modulate tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, and therapeutic response through diverse mechanisms, its specific role in hepatocellular carcinoma pathobiology remains elusive. This study aimed to elucidate the role of the gut microbiota in stress-promoted hepatocellular carcinoma progression and to uncover the pathways associated with disease progression.

Integrating clinical and preclinical models, we delineated stress-induced restructuring of the gut microbiota and functionally restored specific microbial constituents. Mechanistic insights into the microbial metabolite indole-3-propionic acid were derived through in vitro and in vivo interrogations of the hepatocellular carcinoma tumor microenvironment.

Stress profoundly remodels the gut microbiota, with Phocaeicola vulgatus being significantly reduced. Restoration of Phocaeicola vulgatus or administration of its tryptophan-derived metabolite indole-3-propionic acid significantly attenuated hepatocellular carcinoma progression in vivo. Indole-3-propionic acid treatment reduced endothelial JAM2 expression and was associated with reduced JAM2-F11R-mediated endothelial-macrophage crosstalk in hepatocellular carcinoma, which may contribute to suppression of tumor progression.

These findings support a role for the stress-gut microbiota-metabolite-tumor microenvironment axis in hepatocellular carcinoma progression and suggest potential translational targets for microbiome-based therapeutic strategies.