Microbiota regulation in constipation and colorectal cancer

The relevance of constipation to the development and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) is currently a controversial issue. Studies have shown that changes in the composition of the gut microbiota, a condition known as ecological imbalance, are correlated with an increasing number of common human diseases, including CRC and constipation. CRC is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and constipation has been receiving widespread attention as a risk factor for CRC. Early colonoscopy screening of constipated patients, with regular follow-ups and timely intervention, can help detect early intestinal lesions and reduce the risks of developing colorectal polyps and CRC. As an important regulator of the intestinal microenvironment, the gut microbiota plays a critical role in the onset and progression of CRC. An increasing amount of evidence supports the thought that gut microbial composition and function are key determinants of CRC development and progression, with alterations inducing changes in the expression of host genes, metabolic regulation, and local and systemic immunological responses. Furthermore, constipation greatly affects the composition of the gut microbiota, which in turn influences the susceptibility to intestinal diseases such as CRC. However, the crosstalk between the gut microbiota, constipation, and CRC is still unclear.     

Familial adenomatous polyposis and changes in the gut microbiota: New insights into colorectal cancer carcinogenesis

Patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), an autosomal dominant hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome, have a lifetime risk of developing cancer of nearly 100%. Recent studies have pointed out that the gut microbiota could play a crucial role in the development of colorectal adenomas and the consequent progression to colorectal cancer. Some gut bacteria, such as Fusobacterium nucleatum, Escherichia coli, Clostridium difficile, Peptostreptococcus, and enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis, could be implicated in colorectal carcinogenesis through different mechanisms, including the maintenance of a chronic inflammatory state, production of bioactive tumorigenic metabolites, and DNA damage. Studies using the adenomatous polyposis coli^Min/+ mouse model, which resembles FAP in most respects, have shown that specific changes in the intestinal microbial community could influence a multistep progression, the intestinal “adenoma-carcinoma sequence”, which involves mucosal barrier injury, low-grade inflammation, activation of the Wnt pathway. Therefore, modulation of gut microbiota might represent a novel therapeutic target for patients with FAP. Administration of probiotics, prebiotics, antibiotics, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs could potentially prevent the progression of the adenoma-carcinoma sequence in FAP. The aim of this review was to summarize the best available knowledge on the role of gut microbiota in colorectal carcinogenesis in patients with FAP.     

肠道微生物群衍生的代谢产物调控结直肠癌的新进展

肠道生态系统的改变会影响人类的健康,甚至引发结直肠癌。大量证据表明,在结直肠癌患者的肠道中普遍存在一种病理性微生物群失衡状态,失衡的微生物群衍生的代谢产物也会影响结直肠癌的发生发展。本文综述了由特定肠道微生物群代谢产物触发结直肠癌进程的方式,总结了肠道微生物群代谢产物对结直肠癌贡献的最新进展,并考虑代谢产物的积累效应以及多种代谢产物相结合的方式来预测和预防结直肠癌。     

The gut microbiota at the intersection of bile acids and intestinal carcinogenesis: An old story,yet mesmerizing

The prevalence of colorectal cancer (CRC) has markedly increased worldwide in the last decade. Alterations of bile acid metabolism and gut microbiota have been reported to play vital roles in intestinal carcinogenesis. About trillions of bacteria have inhabited in the human gut and maintained the balance of host metabolism. Bile acids are one of numerous metabolites that are synthesized in the liver and further metabolized by the gut microbiota, and are essential in maintaining the normal gut microbiota and lipid digestion. Multiple receptors such as FXR, GPBAR1, PXR, CAR and VDR act as sensors of bile acids have been reported. In this review, we mainly discussed interplay between bile acid metabolism and gut microbiota in intestinal carcinogenesis. We then summarized the critical role of bile acids receptors involving in CRC, and also addressed the rationale of multiple interventions for CRC management by regulating bile acids–microbiota axis such as probiotics, metformin, ursodeoxycholic acid and fecal microbiota transplantation. Thus, by targeting the bile acids–microbiota axis may provide novel therapeutic modalities in CRC prevention and treatment.     

Microbiome and colorectal carcinogenesis: Linked mechanisms and racial differences

Various studies have shown the interplay between the intestinal microbiome, environmental factors, and genetic changes in colorectal cancer (CRC) development. In this review, we highlight the various gut and oral microbiota associated with CRC and colorectal adenomas, and their proposed molecular mechanisms in relation to the processes of “the hallmarks of cancer”, and differences in microbial diversity and abundance between race/ethnicity. Patients with CRC showed increased levels of Bacteroides, Prevotella, Escherichia coli, enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis, Streptococcus gallolyticus, Enterococcus faecalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) and Clostridium difficile. Higher levels of Bacteroides have been found in African American (AA) compared to Caucasian American (CA) patients. Pro-inflammatory bacteria such as F. nucleatum and Enterobacter species were significantly higher in AAs. Also, AA patients have been shown to have decreased microbial diversity compared to CA patients. Some studies have shown that using microbiome profiles in conjunction with certain risk factors such as age, race and body mass index may help predict healthy colon vs one with adenomas or carcinomas. Periodontitis is one of the most common bacterial infections in humans and is more prevalent in Non-Hispanic-Blacks as compared to Non-Hispanic Whites. This condition causes increased systemic inflammation, immune dysregulation, gut microbiota dysbiosis and thereby possibly influencing colorectal carcinogenesis. Periodontal-associated bacteria such as Fusobacterium, Prevotella, Bacteroides and Porphyromonas have been found in CRC tissues and in feces of CRC patients. Therefore, a deeper understanding of the association between oral and gastrointestinal bacterial profile, in addition to identifying prevalent bacteria in patients with CRC and the differences observed in ethnicity/race, may play a pivotal role in predicting incidence, prognosis, and lead to the development of new treatments.     

Gut microbiota accelerate tumor growth via c-jun and STAT3 phosphorylation in APCMin/+ mice

Chronic inflammation is increasingly recognized as a major contributor of human colorectal cancer (CRC). While gut microbiota can trigger inflammation in the intestinal tract, the precise signaling pathways through which host cells respond to inflammatory bacterial stimulation are unclear. Here, we show that gut microbiota enhances intestinal tumor load in the APC(Min/+) mouse model of CRC. Furthermore, systemic anemia occurs coincident with rapid tumor growth, suggesting a role for intestinal barrier damage and erythropoiesis-stimulating mitogens. Short-term stimulation assays of murine colonic tumor cells reveal that lipopolysaccharide, a microbial cell wall component, can accelerate cell growth via a c-Jun/JNK activation pathway. Colonic tumors are also infiltrated by CD11b+ myeloid cells expressing high levels of phospho-STAT3 (p-Tyr705). Our results implicate the role of gut microbiota, through triggering the c-Jun/JNK and STAT3 signaling pathways in combination with anemia, in the acceleration of tumor growth in APC(Min/+) mice.     

通过宏基因组学研究肠道微生物对结直肠癌患者影响的最新进展

人类肠道微生物已越来越受到医学界的广泛关注,人类肠道微生物不仅在人类健康方面,而且在人类疾病的发生和发展方面都有很大的作用。人们不断发现微生物与癌症之间的联系,特别是肠道微生物群和肠道肿瘤之间的联系。宏基因组学作为微生物研究的一种重要研究方法,在微生物与结直肠癌研究中发挥越来越重要的作用。近年来,通过宏基因组学研究肠道微生物菌群的变化为结直肠癌的发生和发展提供了新的见解,并且强调了癌症微生物群中宿主-微生物和微生物间相互作用的重要性。本综述回顾了通过宏基因组学研究肠道微生物与结直肠癌之间的关系,希望为癌症预防、诊断和治疗提供新的机会。     

肠道菌群与结直肠癌关系研究进展*

人体肠道菌群代谢成分通过与受体结合、刺激炎症因子分泌，与其他变化一起，引起炎症反应，最终导致结直肠癌（colorectal cancer ，CRC ）的发生。而肠道内的益生菌则通过屏障作用、抑制DNA 损伤等机制保护肠道黏膜，抵御CRC 的发生，并可被用于预防及辅助治疗CRC 。胃肠道手术可以影响肠道菌群的代谢，影响微生态平衡。本文将针对肠道菌群与结直肠癌关系的最近进展进行综述。      

Relationship between intestinal microbiota and colorectal cancer

The human gastrointestinal tract hosts a complex and vast microbial community with up to 10¹¹-10¹² microorganisms colonizing the colon. The gut microbiota has a serious effect on homeostasis and pathogenesis through a number of mechanisms. In recent years, the relationship between the intestinal microbiota and sporadic colorectal cancer has attracted much scientific interest. Mechanisms underlying colonic carcinogenesis include the conversion of procarcinogenic diet-related factors to carcinogens and the stimulation of procarcinogenic signaling pathways in luminal epithelial cells. Understanding each of these mechanisms will facilitate future studies, leading to the development of novel strategies for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of colorectal cancer. In this review, we discuss the relationship between colorectal cancer and the intestinal microbiota.     

Eicosapentaenoic acid free fatty acid prevents and suppresses colonic neoplasia in colitis‐associated colorectal cancer acting on Notch signaling and gut microbiota

Inflammatory bowel diseases are associated with increased risk of developing colitis‐associated colorectal cancer (CAC). Epidemiological data show that the consumption of ω‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω‐3 PUFAs) decreases the risk of sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC). Importantly, recent data have shown that eicosapentaenoic acid‐free fatty acid (EPA‐FFA) reduces polyp formation and growth in models of familial adenomatous polyposis. However, the effects of dietary EPA‐FFA are unknown in CAC. We tested the effectiveness of substituting EPA‐FFA, for other dietary fats, in preventing inflammation and cancer in the AOM‐DSS model of CAC. The AOM‐DSS protocols were designed to evaluate the effect of EPA‐FFA on both initiation and promotion of carcinogenesis. We found that EPA‐FFA diet strongly decreased tumor multiplicity, incidence and maximum tumor size in the promotion and initiation arms. Moreover EPA–FFA, in particular in the initiation arm, led to reduced cell proliferation and nuclear β‐catenin expression, whilst it increased apoptosis. In both arms, EPA‐FFA treatment led to increased membrane switch from ω‐6 to ω‐3 PUFAs and a concomitant reduction in PGE₂ production. We observed no significant changes in intestinal inflammation between EPA‐FFA treated arms and AOM‐DSS controls. Importantly, we found that EPA‐FFA treatment restored the loss of Notch signaling found in the AOM‐DSS control and resulted in the enrichment of Lactobacillus species in the gut microbiota. Taken together, our data suggest that EPA‐FFA is an excellent candidate for CRC chemoprevention in CAC.     

Highlights in the prevention of sporadic colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is one of the most often diagnosed malignant tumors in humans. Undoubtedly, dietary patterns and lifestyle are strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of sporadic colorectal cancer. Evidence is emerging for the participation of human gut microflora in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer. Chemoprevention of colorectal cancer with medications is an attractive opportunity, although the results from clinical trials are inconclusive. This review discusses the association between the colorectal cancer and some of the most important dietary and lifestyle risk factors, as well as the role of gut microbiota and chemoprevention with acetylsalicylic acid in colorectal cancer.     

The role of gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer

The human gastrointestinal tract harbors a complex and abundant microbial community that can reach levels as high as 10¹³–10¹⁴ microorganisms in the colon. These microorganisms are essential to a host’s well-being in terms of nutrition and mucosa immunity. However, numerous studies have also implicated members of the colonic microbiota in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). While CRC involves a genetic component where damaged DNA and genetic instability initiates a malignant transformation, environmental factors can also contribute to the onset of CRC. Furthermore, considering the constant exposure of the colonic mucosa to the microbiome and/or its metabolites, the mucosa has long been proposed to contribute to colon tumorigenesis. However, the mechanistic details of these associations remain unknown. Fortunately, due to technical and conceptual advances, progress in characterizing the taxonomic composition, metabolic capacity, and immunomodulatory activity of human gut microbiota have been made, thereby elucidating its role in human health and disease. Furthermore, the use of experimental animal models and clinical/epidemiological studies of environmental etiological factors has identified a correlation between gut microbiota composition and gastrointestinal cancers. Bacteria continuously stimulate activated immunity in the gut mucosa and also contribute to the metabolism of bile and food components. However, the highest levels of carcinogen production are also associated with gut anaerobic bacteria and can be lowered with live lactobacilli supplements. In this review, evidence regarding the relationship between microbiota and the development of CRC will be discussed, as well as the role for microbial manipulation in affecting disease development.     

细菌生物膜参与结直肠癌发生的作用机制

结直肠癌是最常见的恶性肿瘤之一,发病率呈逐年上升趋势。肠道是人体内微生物定植量最高的器官,肠道菌群失衡在结直肠癌的发生发展中发挥了重要作用。肠道细菌生物膜（bacterial biofilm, BF）是由多种肠道细菌有组织生长形成的聚集体。生物膜的形成大大增加了肠道细菌对抗生素等杀菌剂和宿主免疫防御的抵抗力。最新的观点认为在肠道菌群诱导结直肠上皮细胞发生癌变的过程中,细菌生物膜的形成是一项至关重要的中间环节。本文结合最近国内外的研究现状对细菌生物膜促进肠道上皮细胞发生致癌转化作一简要综述。     

Implication of gut microbiome in immunotherapy for colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) constitutes the third most frequently reported malignancy in the male population and the second most common in women in the last two decades. Colon carcinogenesis is a complex, multifactorial event, resulting from genetic and epigenetic aberrations, the impact of environmental factors, as well as the disturbance of the gut microbial ecosystem. The relationship between the intestinal microbiome and carcinogenesis was relatively undervalued in the last decade. However, its remarkable effect on metabolic and immune functions on the host has been in the spotlight as of recent years. There is a strong relationship between gut microbiome dysbiosis, bowel pathogenicity and responsiveness to anti-cancer treatment; including immunotherapy. Modifications of bacteriome consistency are closely associated with the immunologic response to immunotherapeutic agents. This condition that implies the necessity of gut microbiome manipulation. Thus, creatingan optimal response for CRC patients to immunotherapeutic agents. In this paper, we will review the current literature observing how gut microbiota influence the response of immunotherapy on CRC patients.     

肠道菌群与免疫检查点抑制剂研究进展

肠道菌群能够通过局部或全身炎性反应影响肿瘤的发生、发展以及治疗。目前,肠道菌群在肿瘤治疗中的作用越来越显著,研究发现,肠道菌群影响实体瘤免疫检查点抑制剂治疗反应,但造成个体间免疫反应差异的机制尚不清楚。有学者认为,肠道菌群在其中可能发挥潜在的调节作用。例如嗜黏蛋白-艾克曼菌、乳酸杆菌及双歧杆菌等都具有调节肿瘤细胞及免疫细胞功能,并促进多种细胞因子的产生,进而提高免疫检查点抑制剂治疗效果。因此,本文就肠道菌群对肿瘤细胞及免疫细胞的影响和目前肠道菌群与免疫检查点抑制剂的研究现状做一阐述。     

The Role of the Gut Microbiome in Colorectal Cancer: Where Are We? Where Are We Going?

Microbiome (microbiota) is a community of all microorganisms inhabiting a specific site of the body, including pathogens, which distinguishes it from the physiological microflora. Intestinal dysbiosis plays a key role in the development of colorectal cancer. In the process of carcinogenesis, inflammation, immune response, and toxic metabolites play a significant role. Specific species of bacteria might affect the risk of colorectal cancer and growth of tumor already present. Assessment of changes in the intestinal microbiome during the development and progression of colorectal cancer might create a simple diagnostic tool, a useful biomarker, or might influence treatment strategies in colorectal cancer patients. Analysis of the gut microbiome provides the potential to develop noninvasive diagnostic tests that would be useful as new protective markers of colorectal cancer, prognostic markers in already present colorectal cancer, and predictive markers of response to treatment, especially immunotherapy.     

Microbiome and Colorectal Cancer

Purpose of Review

The trillions of microbes collectively referred to as the human microbiota inhabit the human body and establish a beneficial relationship with the host. It is clear however that dysbiosis impacting microbial diversity in the gut may lead to the development of inflammatory and malignant gastrointestinal diseases including colorectal cancer (CRC). We provide a literature review of the recent influx of information related to the alterations in gut microbiota composition that influences CRC incidence and progression.

Recent Findings

A growing body of evidence implicates altered gut microbiota in the development of CRC. Profiles of CRC-associated microbiota have been shown to differ from those in healthy subjects and bacterial phylotypes vary depending on the primary tumor location. The compositional variation in the microbial profile is not restricted to cancerous tissue however and is different between cancers of the proximal and distal colons, respectively. More recently, studies have shed light on the “driver-passenger” model for CRC wherein, driver bacteria cause inflammation, increased cell proliferation and production of genotoxic substances to contribute towards mutational acquisition associated with adenoma-carcinoma sequence. These changes facilitate gradual replacement of driver bacteria by passengers that either promote or suppress tumor progression. Significant advances have also been made in associating individual bacterial species to consensus molecular subtypes (CMS) of CRC and this remarkable development is expected to galvanize scientific community into advancing therapeutic strategies for CRC.

Summary

Increasing evidence suggests a link between the intestinal microbiota and CRC development although the mechanisms through which the bacterial constituents of the microbiome contribute towards CRC are complex and yet to be fully fathomed. Thus, more exhaustive and mechanistic studies are needed to identify key interactions amongst diet, microbial community, and metabolites that help facilitate the adenoma-carcinoma sequence evolution in CRC. It is expected that development of therapeutics based on microbial association with CMS will likely facilitate the translation of molecular subtypes into the clinic for CRCs and potentially other malignancies.

     

肠道微生物在结直肠癌发生发展及诊疗中作用的新进展

肠道生态系统的改变会影响人类的健康，甚至引发结直肠癌。大量证据表明，在结直肠癌患者的肠道中普遍存在一种病理性微生物群失衡状态。本综述从免疫与炎症反应、肠道微生物代谢产物和基因损伤三个方面总结了肠道微生物引发结直肠癌的机制，介绍了肠道微生物群相关的结直肠癌诊断标志物，分析了肠道微生物在结直肠癌放化疗及免疫治疗中的新进展,希望为结直肠癌的防治及诊疗提供新的机会。     

Significance of the gut microbiome in multistep colorectal carcinogenesis

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is highly prevalent worldwide. In 2018, there were over 1.8 million new cases. Most sporadic CRC develop from polypoid adenomas and are preceded by intramucosal carcinoma (stage 0), which can progress into more malignant forms. This developmental process is known as the adenoma‐carcinoma sequence. Early detection and endoscopic removal are crucial for CRC management. Accumulating evidence suggests that the gut microbiota is associated with CRC development in humans. Comprehensive characterization of this microbiota is of great importance to assess its potential as a diagnostic marker in the very early stages of CRC. In this review, we summarized recent studies on CRC‐associated bacteria and their carcinogenic mechanisms in animal models, human cell lines and human cohorts. High‐throughput technologies have facilitated the identification of CRC‐associated bacteria in human samples. We have presented our metagenome and metabolome studies on fecal samples collected from a large Japanese cohort that revealed stage‐specific phenotypes of the microbiota in CRC. Furthermore, we have discussed the potential carcinogenic mechanisms of the gut microbiota, from which we can infer whether changes in the gut microbiota are a cause or effect in the multi‐step process of CRC carcinogenesis.