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Updated: Sep 17, 2026

Co-Culture In Vitro Systems to Reproduce the Cancer-Immunity Cycle
Published on: June 7, 2024
Interplay of gut microbiota, immune cells and natural products in reshaping cancer immunotherapy
Xiaomei Wu1, Lingeng Lu2, Tingdun Li1
1Gansu Provincial Academy of Medical Science, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center Gansu Hospital, Lanzhou, China.
Abstract:
Recent advances have underscored the gut microbiota as an essential orchestrator of host responses to cancer immunotherapy. Gut microbiota and their metabolites play a vital role in modulating host immune responses. They regulate the development, differentiation, and function of a variety of immune cells, including granulocytes, monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells (DCs), natural killer (NK) cells, innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), cytotoxic T cells (CTLs), helper T (Th) cells, regulatory T cells (Tregs), and B cells, as well as the production of cytokines such as interleukins (ILs), interferons (IFNs), tumor necrosis factors (TNFs), colony-stimulating factors (CSFs), chemokines, and growth factors (GFs). These cells and molecules are key mediators in shaping immune system. Natural products from meals, herbs, and microbial, plant, or fungal sources act as powerful modulators of gut microbiota. They can reshape microbial composition, regulate microbial metabolites and maintain intestinal barrier integrity. However, the interaction of natural products, gut microbiota, cytokines, and immune cells in modifying cancer immunotherapy is highly complex and remains largely unexplored. In this review, we summarize recent advances in understanding how natural products, microbiota, cytokines, and immune cells orchestrate to reshape the tumor microenvironment, offering novel insights and therapeutic opportunities for improving cancer immunotherapy.
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