Exploration of reciprocal interactions between gut microbiota and host microemvironment

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K24057
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0906:Surgery related to the biological and sensory functions and related fields
• Research Institution: Fukuoka Dental College
• Principal Investigator: Wada Hiroya 福岡歯科大学, 口腔歯学部, 臨床教授 (70851509)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: メタゲノム解析 / 乳癌 / 腸内細菌 / 次世代シーケンサー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Gut microbial dysbiosis affects the occurrence of gastrointestinal diseases, such as inflammatory bowel diseases, and systemic autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Here, we performed metagenomic analysis of breast cancer patients as a non-gastrointestinal tract cancer, which affects carcinogenesis, cancer promotion, tumor microenvironment, and host cancer immunological response, especially as compared with colon cancer patients, using the TCGA and BIC databases. As a result, the microbial flora in breast cancer patients differs from that in colon cancer patients. The high relative abundance of the Genus Bifidobacterium, which is thought to enhance T-cell response, and low relative abundance of Genus Prevotella, are correlated with better prognosis in breast cancer patients.

Free Research Field

腫瘍生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

今回、我々の検討にて、乳癌患者に検出される細菌叢は大腸癌患者の細菌叢と異なっており、T細胞応答を増強すると考えられるBifidobacterium属の相対的高占有率及びPrevotella属の相対的低占有率と患者予後との相関が得られたこと及び各々の細菌属は他の細菌属とのネットワークを形成している事から、適切なprobiotics投与などによって、特にICI等の治療効果の増強やcancer promotionの抑制等に影響を及ぼし、乳癌患者の予後改善に寄与できる可能性が示唆されたことは意義深いと考える。