New Insights into Molecular Links Between Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancers: A Literature Review
Despite decades of exhaustive research on cancer, questions about cancer initiation, development, recurrence, and metastasis have still not been completely answered. One of the reasons is the plethora of factors acting simultaneously in a tumour microenvironment, of which not all have garnered atten...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-05-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/21/9/3212 |
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| author | Yash Raj Rastogi Adesh K. Saini Vijay Kumar Thakur Reena V. Saini |
| author_facet | Yash Raj Rastogi Adesh K. Saini Vijay Kumar Thakur Reena V. Saini |
| author_sort | Yash Raj Rastogi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite decades of exhaustive research on cancer, questions about cancer initiation, development, recurrence, and metastasis have still not been completely answered. One of the reasons is the plethora of factors acting simultaneously in a tumour microenvironment, of which not all have garnered attention. One such factor that has long remained understudied and has only recently received due attention is the host microbiota. Our sheer-sized microbiota exists in a state of symbiosis with the body and exerts significant impact on our body’s physiology, ranging from immune-system development and regulation to neurological and cognitive development. The presence of our microbiota is integral to our development, but a change in its composition (microbiota dysbiosis) can often lead to adverse effects, increasing the propensity of serious diseases like cancers. In the present review, we discuss environmental and genetic factors that cause changes in microbiota composition, disposing of the host towards cancer, and the molecular mechanisms (such as β-catenin signalling) and biochemical pathways (like the generation of oncogenic metabolites like N-nitrosamines and hydrogen sulphide) that the microbiota uses to initiate or accelerate cancers, with emphasis on gastrointestinal cancers. Moreover, we discuss how microbiota can adversely influence the success of colorectal-cancer chemotherapy, and its role in tumour metastasis. We also attempted to resolve conflicting results obtained for the butyrate effect on tumour suppression in the colon, often referred to as the ‘butyrate paradox’. In addition, we suggest the development of microbiota-based biomarkers for early cancer diagnosis, and a few target molecules of which the inhibition can increase the overall chances of cancer cure. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:05:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ce1ba7a79daf4cc1881b1c85d1edd3c9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:05:51Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-ce1ba7a79daf4cc1881b1c85d1edd3c92023-11-19T23:17:37ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672020-05-01219321210.3390/ijms21093212New Insights into Molecular Links Between Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancers: A Literature ReviewYash Raj Rastogi0Adesh K. Saini1Vijay Kumar Thakur2Reena V. Saini3School of Bioengineering and Food Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, Himachal Pradesh 173229, IndiaFaculty of Sciences, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, Himachal Pradesh 173229, IndiaBiorefining and Advanced Materials Research Centre, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), Kings Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG, UKSchool of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, Himachal Pradesh 173229, IndiaDespite decades of exhaustive research on cancer, questions about cancer initiation, development, recurrence, and metastasis have still not been completely answered. One of the reasons is the plethora of factors acting simultaneously in a tumour microenvironment, of which not all have garnered attention. One such factor that has long remained understudied and has only recently received due attention is the host microbiota. Our sheer-sized microbiota exists in a state of symbiosis with the body and exerts significant impact on our body’s physiology, ranging from immune-system development and regulation to neurological and cognitive development. The presence of our microbiota is integral to our development, but a change in its composition (microbiota dysbiosis) can often lead to adverse effects, increasing the propensity of serious diseases like cancers. In the present review, we discuss environmental and genetic factors that cause changes in microbiota composition, disposing of the host towards cancer, and the molecular mechanisms (such as β-catenin signalling) and biochemical pathways (like the generation of oncogenic metabolites like N-nitrosamines and hydrogen sulphide) that the microbiota uses to initiate or accelerate cancers, with emphasis on gastrointestinal cancers. Moreover, we discuss how microbiota can adversely influence the success of colorectal-cancer chemotherapy, and its role in tumour metastasis. We also attempted to resolve conflicting results obtained for the butyrate effect on tumour suppression in the colon, often referred to as the ‘butyrate paradox’. In addition, we suggest the development of microbiota-based biomarkers for early cancer diagnosis, and a few target molecules of which the inhibition can increase the overall chances of cancer cure.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/21/9/3212microbiotaWnt-β-catenin signallingcolorectal cancer<i>Fusobacterium nucleatum</i>TLRsbutyrate |
| spellingShingle | Yash Raj Rastogi Adesh K. Saini Vijay Kumar Thakur Reena V. Saini New Insights into Molecular Links Between Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancers: A Literature Review International Journal of Molecular Sciences microbiota Wnt-β-catenin signalling colorectal cancer <i>Fusobacterium nucleatum</i> TLRs butyrate |
| title | New Insights into Molecular Links Between Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancers: A Literature Review |
| title_full | New Insights into Molecular Links Between Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancers: A Literature Review |
| title_fullStr | New Insights into Molecular Links Between Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancers: A Literature Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | New Insights into Molecular Links Between Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancers: A Literature Review |
| title_short | New Insights into Molecular Links Between Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancers: A Literature Review |
| title_sort | new insights into molecular links between microbiota and gastrointestinal cancers a literature review |
| topic | microbiota Wnt-β-catenin signalling colorectal cancer <i>Fusobacterium nucleatum</i> TLRs butyrate |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/21/9/3212 |
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