» Articles » PMID: 22903521

Intestinal Inflammation Targets Cancer-inducing Activity of the Microbiota

Abstract

Inflammation alters host physiology to promote cancer, as seen in colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CRC). Here, we identify the intestinal microbiota as a target of inflammation that affects the progression of CRC. High-throughput sequencing revealed that inflammation modifies gut microbial composition in colitis-susceptible interleukin-10-deficient (Il10(-/-)) mice. Monocolonization with the commensal Escherichia coli NC101 promoted invasive carcinoma in azoxymethane (AOM)-treated Il10(-/-) mice. Deletion of the polyketide synthase (pks) genotoxic island from E. coli NC101 decreased tumor multiplicity and invasion in AOM/Il10(-/-) mice, without altering intestinal inflammation. Mucosa-associated pks(+) E. coli were found in a significantly high percentage of inflammatory bowel disease and CRC patients. This suggests that in mice, colitis can promote tumorigenesis by altering microbial composition and inducing the expansion of microorganisms with genotoxic capabilities.

Citing Articles

Gut microbiota therapy in gastrointestinal diseases.

Ullah H, Arbab S, Chang C, Bibi S, Muhammad N, Rehman S Front Cell Dev Biol. 2025; 13:1514636.

PMID: 40078367 PMC: 11897527. DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2025.1514636.


Advances in gut microbiota-related treatment strategies for managing colorectal cancer in humans.

Roy B, Cao K, Singh C, Fang X, Yang H, Wei D Cancer Biol Med. 2025; 22(2).

PMID: 40072039 PMC: 11899591. DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2024.0263.


Influence of gut microbial metabolites on tumor immunotherapy: mechanisms and potential natural products.

Li D, Lan X, Xu L, Zhou S, Luo H, Zhang X Front Immunol. 2025; 16:1552010.

PMID: 40066456 PMC: 11891355. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1552010.


Dietary fibre counters the oncogenic potential of colibactin-producing Escherichia coli in colorectal cancer.

Thakur B, Malaise Y, Choudhury S, Neustaeter A, Turpin W, Streutker C Nat Microbiol. 2025; .

PMID: 40033140 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-025-01938-4.


Cross-population tongue image features and tongue coating microbiome changes in the evolution of colorectal cancer.

Liu F, Su D, Shi X, Xu S, Dong Y, Li Z Front Microbiol. 2025; 16:1442732.

PMID: 40012785 PMC: 11863330. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1442732.


References
1.
Shen X, Rawls J, Randall T, Burcal L, Mpande C, Jenkins N . Molecular characterization of mucosal adherent bacteria and associations with colorectal adenomas. Gut Microbes. 2010; 1(3):138-47. PMC: 2927011. DOI: 10.4161/gmic.1.3.12360. View

2.
Cuevas-Ramos G, Petit C, Marcq I, Boury M, Oswald E, Nougayrede J . Escherichia coli induces DNA damage in vivo and triggers genomic instability in mammalian cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010; 107(25):11537-42. PMC: 2895108. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1001261107. View

3.
Schwerbrock N, Makkink M, van der Sluis M, Buller H, Einerhand A, Sartor R . Interleukin 10-deficient mice exhibit defective colonic Muc2 synthesis before and after induction of colitis by commensal bacteria. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2005; 10(6):811-23. DOI: 10.1097/00054725-200411000-00016. View

4.
Lin W, Karin M . A cytokine-mediated link between innate immunity, inflammation, and cancer. J Clin Invest. 2007; 117(5):1175-83. PMC: 1857251. DOI: 10.1172/JCI31537. View

5.
Danese S, Mantovani A . Inflammatory bowel disease and intestinal cancer: a paradigm of the Yin-Yang interplay between inflammation and cancer. Oncogene. 2010; 29(23):3313-23. DOI: 10.1038/onc.2010.109. View