Fecal Microbiota and Gut Microbe-Derived Extracellular Vesicles in Colorectal Cancer

Effects of bacterial extracellular vesicles derived from oral and gastrointestinal pathogens on systemic diseases

Oral microbiota and gastrointestinal microbiota, the two largest microbiomes in the human body, are closely correlated and frequently interact through the oral-gut axis. Recent research has focused on the roles of these microbiomes in human health and diseases. Under normal conditions, probiotics and commensal bacteria can positively impact health. However, altered physiological states may induce dysbiosis, increasing the risk of pathogen colonization. Studies suggest that oral and gastrointestinal pathogens contribute not only to localized diseases at their respective colonized sites but also to the progression of systemic diseases. However, the mechanisms by which bacteria at these local sites are involved in systemic diseases remain elusive. In response to this gap, the focus has shifted to bacterial extracellular vesicles (BEVs), which act as mediators of communication between the microbiota and the host. Numerous studies have reported the targeted delivery of bacterial pathogenic substances from the oral cavity and the gastrointestinal tract to distant organs via BEVs. These pathogenic components subsequently elicit specific cellular responses in target organs, thereby mediating the progression of systemic diseases. This review aims to elucidate the extensive microbial communication via the oral-gut axis, summarize the types and biogenesis mechanisms of BEVs, and highlight the translocation pathways of oral and gastrointestinal BEVs in vivo, as well as the impacts of pathogens-derived BEVs on systemic diseases.

Interplay between WNT/PI3K-mTOR axis and the microbiota in APC-driven colorectal carcinogenesis: data from a pilot study and possible implications for CRC prevention

BACKGROUND

Wnt/β-catenin signalling impairment accounts for 85% of colorectal cancers (CRCs), including sporadic and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) settings. An altered PI3K/mTOR pathway and gut microbiota also contribute to CRC carcinogenesis. We studied the interplay between the two pathways and the microbiota composition within each step of CRC carcinogenesis.

METHODS

Proteins and target genes of both pathways were analysed by RT-qPCR and IHC in tissues from healthy faecal immunochemical test positive (FIT+, n = 17), FAP (n = 17) and CRC (n = 15) subjects. CRC-related mutations were analysed through NGS and Sanger. Oral, faecal and mucosal microbiota was profiled by 16 S rRNA-sequencing.

RESULTS

We found simultaneous hyperactivation of Wnt/β-catenin and PI3K/mTOR pathways in FAP-lesions compared to CRCs. Wnt/β-catenin molecular markers positively correlated with Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 and negatively with Bacteroides in FAP faecal microbiota. Alistipes, Lachnospiraceae, and Ruminococcaceae were enriched in FAP stools and adenomas, the latter also showing an overabundance of Lachnoclostridium, which positively correlated with cMYC. In impaired-mTOR-mutated CRC tissues, p-S6R correlated with Fusobacterium and Dialister, the latter also confirmed in the faecal-ecosystem.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study reveals an interplay between Wnt/β-catenin and PI3K/mTOR, whose derangement correlates with specific microbiota signatures in FAP and CRC patients, and identifies new potential biomarkers and targets to improve CRC prevention, early adenoma detection and treatment.

Heart failure-induced microbial dysbiosis contributes to colonic tumour formation in mice

AIMS

Heart failure (HF) and cancer are the leading causes of death worldwide. Epidemiological studies revealed that HF patients are prone to develop cancer. Preclinical studies provided some insights into this connection, but the exact mechanisms remain elusive. In colorectal cancer (CRC), gut microbial dysbiosis is linked to cancer progression and recent studies have shown that HF patients display microbial dysbiosis. This current study focussed on the effects of HF-induced microbial dysbiosis on colonic tumour formation.

METHODS AND RESULTS

C57BL/6J mice were subjected to myocardial infarction (MI), with sham surgery as control. After six weeks faeces were collected, processed for 16 s rRNA sequencing, and pooled for faecal microbiota transplantation. CRC tumour growth was provoked in germ-free mice by treating them with Azoxymethane/Dextran sodium sulphate. The CRC mice were transplanted with faeces from MI or sham mice. MI-induced HF resulted in microbial dysbiosis, characterized by a decreased α-diversity and microbial alterations on the genus level, several of which have been associated with CRC. We then performed faecal microbiota transplantation with faeces from HF mice in CRC mice, which resulted in a higher endoscopic disease score and an increase in the number of tumours in CRC mice.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated that MI-induced HF contributes to colonic tumour formation by altering the gut microbiota composition, providing a mechanistic explanation for the observed association between HF and increased risk for cancer. Targeting the microbiome may present as a tool to mitigate HF-associated co-morbidities, especially cancer.

Applications of Urinary Extracellular Vesicles in the Diagnosis and Active Surveillance of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common non-cutaneous cancer among men in the UK, causing significant health and economic burdens. Diagnosis and risk prognostication can be challenging due to the genetic and clinical heterogeneity of prostate cancer as well as uncertainties in our knowledge of the underlying biology and natural history of disease development. Urinary extracellular vesicles (EVs) are microscopic, lipid bilayer defined particles released by cells that carry a variety of molecular cargoes including nucleic acids, proteins and other molecules. Urine is a plentiful source of prostate-derived EVs. In this narrative review, we summarise the evidence on the function of urinary EVs and their applications in the evolving field of prostate cancer diagnostics and active surveillance. EVs are implicated in the development of all hallmarks of prostate cancer, and this knowledge has been applied to the development of multiple diagnostic tests, which are largely based on RNA and miRNA. Common gene probes included in multi-probe tests include PCA3 and ERG, and the miRNAs miR-21 and miR-141. The next decade will likely bring further improvements in the diagnostic accuracy of biomarkers as well as insights into molecular biological mechanisms of action that can be translated into opportunities in precision uro-oncology.

The emerging roles of microbiota-derived extracellular vesicles in psychiatric disorders

Major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder are three major psychiatric disorders that significantly impact the well-being and overall health of patients. Some researches indicate that abnormalities in the gut microbiota can trigger certain psychiatric diseases. Microbiota-derived extracellular vesicles have the ability to transfer bioactive compounds into host cells, altering signaling and biological processes, ultimately influencing the mental health and illness of the host. This review aims to investigate the emerging roles of microbiota-derived extracellular vesicles in these three major psychiatric disorders and discusses their roles as diagnostic biomarkers and therapies for these psychiatric disorders.

Gut microbiome-derived bacterial extracellular vesicles in patients with solid tumours

INTRODUCTION

Gut microbiome-derived nanoparticles, known as bacterial extracellular vesicles (bEVs), have garnered interest as promising tools for studying the link between the gut microbiome and human health. The diverse composition of bEVs, including their proteins, mRNAs, metabolites, and lipids, makes them useful for investigating diseases such as cancer. However, conventional approaches for studying gut microbiome composition alone may not be accurate in deciphering host-gut microbiome communication. In clinical microbiome research, there is a gap in the knowledge on the role of bEVs in solid tumor patients.

OBJECTIVES

Analyzing the functionality of bEVs using (meta)genomics and proteomics could highlight the unique aspects of host-gut microbiome interactions in solid tumor patients. Therefore, we performed a comparative analysis of the proteome and microbiota composition of gut microbiome-derived bEVs isolated from patients with solid tumors and healthy controls.

METHODS

After isolating bEVs from the feces of solid tumor patients and healthy controls, we performed spectrometry analysis of their proteomes and next-generation sequencing (NGS) of the 16S gene. We also investigated the gut microbiomes of feces from patients and controls using 16S sequencing and used machine learning to classify the samples into patients and controls based on their bEVs and fecal microbiomes.

RESULTS

Solid tumor patients showed decreased microbiota richness and diversity in both the bEVs and feces. However, the bEV proteomes were more diverse in patients than in the controls and were enriched with proteins associated with the metabolism of amino acids and carbohydrates, nucleotide binding, and oxidoreductase activity. Metadata classification of samples was more accurate using fecal bEVs (100%) compared with fecal samples (93%).

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that bEVs are unique functional entities. There is a need to explore bEVs together with conventional gut microbiome analysis in functional cancer research to decipher the potential of bEVs as cancer diagnostic or therapeutic biomarkers.

ChipFilter: Microfluidic-Based Comprehensive Sample Preparation Methodology for Microbial Consortia

The metaproteomic approach is an attractive way to describe a microbiome at the functional level, allowing the identification and quantification of proteins across a broad dynamic range as well as the detection of post-translational modifications. However, it remains relatively underutilized, mainly due to technical challenges that should be addressed, including the complexity of extracting proteins from heterogeneous microbial communities. Here, we show that a ChipFilter microfluidic device coupled to a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) setup can be successfully used for the identification of microbial proteins. Using cultures of Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we have shown that it is possible to directly lyse the cells and digest the proteins in the ChipFilter to allow the identification of a higher number of proteins and peptides than that by standard protocols, even at low cell density. The peptides produced are overall longer after ChipFilter digestion but show no change in their degree of hydrophobicity. Analysis of a more complex mixture of 17 species from the gut microbiome showed that the ChipFilter preparation was able to identify and estimate the amounts of 16 of these species. These results show that ChipFilter can be used for the proteomic study of microbiomes, particularly in the case of a low volume or cell density. The mass spectrometry data have been deposited on the ProteomeXchange Consortium via the PRIDE partner repository with the data set identifier PXD039581.

Profiling of endogenous metabolites and changes in intestinal microbiota distribution after GEN-001 (Lactococcus lactis) administration

This study aimed to identify metabolic biomarkers and investigate changes in intestinal microbiota in the feces of healthy participants following administration of Lactococcus lactis GEN-001. GEN-001 is a single-strain L. lactis strain isolated from the gut of a healthy human volunteer. The study was conducted as a parallel, randomized, phase 1, open design trial. Twenty healthy Korean males were divided into five groups according to the GEN-001 dosage and dietary control. Groups A, B, C, and D1 received 1, 3, 6, and 9 GEN-001 capsules (1 × 1011 colony forming units), respectively, without dietary adjustment, whereas group D2 received 9 GEN-001 capsules with dietary adjustment. All groups received a single dose. Fecal samples were collected 2 days before GEN-001 administration to 7 days after for untargeted metabolomics and gut microbial metagenomic analyses; blood samples were collected simultaneously for immunogenicity analysis. Levels of phenylalanine, tyrosine, cholic acid, deoxycholic acid, and tryptophan were significantly increased at 5-6 days after GEN-001 administration when compared with predose levels. Compared with predose, the relative abundance (%) of Parabacteroides and Alistipes significantly decreased, whereas that of Lactobacillus and Lactococcus increased; Lactobacillus and tryptophan levels were negatively correlated. A single administration of GEN-001 shifted the gut microbiota in healthy volunteers to a more balanced state as evidenced by an increased abundance of beneficial bacteria, including Lactobacillus, and higher levels of the metabolites that have immunogenic properties.

Gut microbiome signature of metabolically healthy obese individuals according to anthropometric, metabolic and inflammatory parameters

In this study, we investigated the characteristics of gut microbiome in the metabolically healthy obese (MHO) patients, and how they correlate with metabolic and inflammatory profiles. A total of 120 obese people without metabolic comorbidities were recruited, and their clinical phenotypes, metabolic and inflammatory parameters were analysed. The faecal microbial markers originating from bacterial cell and extracellular vesicle (EV) were profiled using 16S rDNA sequencing. The total study population could be classified into two distinct enterotypes (enterotype I: Prevotellaceae-predominant, enterotype II: Akkermansia/Bacteroides-predominant), based on their stool EV-derived microbiome profile. When comparing the metabolic and inflammatory profiles, subjects in enterotype I had higher levels of serum IL-1β [false discovery rate (FDR) q = 0.050] and had a lower level of microbial diversity than enterotype II (Wilcoxon rank-sum test p < 0.01). Subjects in enterotype I had relatively higher abundance of Bacteroidetes, Prevotellaceae and Prevotella-derived EVs, and lower abundance of Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Akkermansia and Bacteroides-derived EVs (FDR q < 0.05). In conclusion, HMO patients can be categorised into two distinct enterotypes by the faecal EV-derived microbiome profile. The enterotyping may be associated with different metabolic and inflammatory profiles. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the long-term prognostic impact of EV-derived microbiome in the obese population.

Effects of dietary Glycyrrhiza polysaccharide supplementation on growth performance, intestinal antioxidants, immunity and microbiota in weaned piglets

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary Glycyrrhiza polysaccharide (GCP) supplementation on growth performance, intestinal antioxidants, immunity and microbiota in weaned piglets. One hundred and twenty 28-day-old weaned piglets were randomly assigned into five groups (four replicates per group) and fed a basal diet with GCP at 0, 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 mg/kg for four weeks, respectively. Results showed that 1000 mg/kg GCP improved piglets' ADG and ADFI and reduced FCR (p < .05). Thus, the 0 and 1000 mg/kg GCP dose were selected for subsequent experiments. We found that 1000 mg/GCP increased SOD and T-AOC and decreased MDA in the jejunal mucosa (p < .05). Dietary 1000 mg/kg GCP also resulted in high levels of sIgA, IL-10 and TGF-β, whereas IL-2 dropped dramatically (p < .05). The relative expression levels of ZO-1, CLDN, OCLDN, TLR-4, IL-10, TGF-β, Nrf-2, SOD1 and CAT increased in the jejunal mucosa, whereas INF-γ decreased (p < .05). 1000 mg/kg GCP treatment altered the diversity and community composition of cecal microbiota in pigs, with increasing relative abundance of Bacteroidota and Lactobacillus at phylum and genus levels (p < .05), respectively. The results suggested that dietary 1000 mg/kg GCP could improve growth performance and intestinal health of weaned piglets.

Characterization of markers, functional properties, and microbiome composition in human gut-derived bacterial extracellular vesicles

Past studies have confirmed the etiologies of bacterial extracellular vesicles (BEVs) in various diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of stool-derived bacterial extracellular vesicles (stBEVs) and discuss their association with stool bacteria. First, three culture models - gram-positive (G+)BcBEVs (from B.coagulans), gram-negative (G-)EcBEVs (from E.coli), and eukaryotic cell-derived EVs (EEV, from Colo205 cell line) - were used to benchmark various fractions of stEVs separated from optimized density gradient approach (DG). As such, WB, TEM, NTA, and functional assays, were utilized to analyze properties and distribution of EVs in cultured and stool samples. Stool samples from healthy individuals were interrogated using the approaches developed. Results demonstrated successful separation of most stBEVs (within DG fractions 8&9) from stEEVs (within DG fractions 5&6). Data also suggest the presence of stBEV DNA within vesicles after extraction of BEV DNA and DNase treatment. Metagenomic analysis from full-length (FL) region sequencing results confirmed significant differences between stool bacteria and stBEVs. Significantly, F8&9 and the pooled sample (F5-F9) exhibited a similar microbial composition, indicating that F8&9 were enriched in most stBEV species, primarily dominated by Firmicutes (89.6%). However, F5&6 and F7 still held low-density BEVs with a significantly higher proportion of Proteobacteria (20.5% and 40.7%, respectively) and Bacteroidetes (24% and 13.7%, respectively), considerably exceeding the proportions in stool and F8&9. Importantly, among five healthy individuals, significant variations were observed in the gut microbiota composition of their respective stBEVs, indicating the potential of stBEVs as a target for personalized medicine and research.

The potential role of gut microbiota outer membrane vesicles in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignant digestive tract tumor in colorectal regions. Considerable evidence now shows that the gut microbiota have essential roles in CRC occurrence and development. Most Gram-negative bacteria release outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) via outer membrane blistering, which contain specific cargoes which interact with host cells via intercellular communications, host immune regulation, and gut microbiota homeostasis. Studies have also shown that OMVs selectively cluster near tumor cells, thus cancer treatment strategies based on OMVs have attracted considerable research attention. However, little is known about the possible impact of gut microbiota OMVs in CRC pathophysiology. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the research progress on molecular composition and function of OMV, and review the microbial dysbiosis in CRC. We then focus on the potential role of gut microbiota OMVs in CRC. Finally, we examine the clinical potential of OMVs in CRC treatment, and their main advantages and challenges in tumor therapy.

Visual analysis of colorectal cancer and gut microbiota: A bibliometric analysis from 2002 to 2022

A growing number of studies have shown that gut microbiota (GM) plays an essential role in the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer (CRC). The current body of research exploring the relationship between CRC and GM is vast. Nevertheless, bibliometric studies in this area have not yet been reported. This study aimed to explore the hotspots and frontiers of research on GM and CRC in the past 20 years, which may provide a reference for researchers in this field. The Web of Science Core Collection database was searched for publications on CRC and GM from 2002 to 2022. The scientometric softwares CiteSpace and VOSviewer were used to visually analyze the countries, institutions, authors, journals, and keywords involved in the literature. Keywords co-occurrence, cluster, and burst analysis were utilized to further explore the current state and development trends of research on GM and CRC. A total of 2158 publications were included in this study, with a noticeably rising annual publication trend. The majority of these papers are from 80 nations, primarily China and the USA. J Yu was the most active author and WS Garrett has the highest citation. Among all institutions, Shanghai Jiao Tong University has the largest number of papers. Most of the publications were published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, with Science being the most frequently cited journal. The 4 main clusters mainly involved probiotics, inflammation, molecular mechanisms, and research methods. Current research hotspots included "Fusobacterium nucleatum," "Escherichia coli," etc. Newly emerging research has focused predominantly on immune response, gene expression, and recent strategies for the treatment of CRC with GM. The relationship between GM and CRC will continue to be a hot research area. Changes in the composition of GM in patients with CRC, the potential molecular mechanisms as well as probiotics and natural products used in the treatment of CRC have been the focus of current research and hotspots for future studies.

Roles of bacterial extracellular vesicles in systemic diseases

Accumulating evidence suggests that in various systems, not all bidirectional microbiota-host interactions involve direct cell contact. Bacterial extracellular vesicles (BEVs) may be key participants in this interkingdom crosstalk. BEVs mediate microbiota functions by delivering effector molecules that modulate host signaling pathways, thereby facilitating host-microbe interactions. BEV production during infections by both pathogens and probiotics has been observed in various host tissues. Therefore, these vesicles released by microbiota may have the ability to drive or inhibit disease pathogenesis in different systems within the host. Here, we review the current knowledge of BEVs and particularly emphasize their interactions with the host and the pathogenesis of systemic diseases.

Bacterial outer membrane vesicles in cancer: Biogenesis, pathogenesis, and clinical application

Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are spherical, nano-sized particles of bilayer lipid structure secreted by Gram-negative bacteria. They contain a series of cargos from bacteria and are important messengers for communication between bacteria and their environment. OMVs play multiple roles in bacterial survival and adaptation and can affect host physiological functions and disease development by acting on host cell membranes and altering host cell signaling pathways. This paper summarizes the mechanisms of OMV genesis and the multiple roles of OMVs in the tumor microenvironment. Also, this paper discusses the prospects of OMVs for a wide range of applications in drug delivery, tumor diagnosis, and therapy.

Salidroside alleviates dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice by modulating the gut microbiota

Dysbiosis causes continuous progress of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Herein, we aim to explore whether Salidroside (Sal), which is a major glycoside extracted from Rhodiola rosea L., could ameliorate dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis by modulating the microbiota. Results showed that oral treatment with 15 mg kg-1 of Sal inhibited DSS-induced colitis in mice as evidenced by colon length, histological analysis, disease activity index (DAI) score, and the proportion and number of macrophages in the intestine. The gut microbiota of colitic mice was also partly restored by Sal. A fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) study was designed to verify the causality. Compared with DSS-treated mice, FM from the Sal-treated donor mice significantly mitigated the symptoms of colitic mice, including reducing the DAI score, alleviating tissue damage, boosting the expression of mucin protein (mucin-2) and tight junction (TJ) proteins (occludin and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), and decreasing M1 macrophages in the gut. It was found that both Sal and FMT affected the structure and abundance of the gut microbiota as reflected by the decreased relative abundance of Turicibacter, Alistipes, Romboutsia and the increased relative abundance of Lactobacillus at the genus level. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory effect of Sal disappeared when the gut microbiota was depleted by antibiotics, demonstrating that Sal alleviated the intestinal inflammation in a gut microbiota-dependent manner. Thus, Sal could be a remarkable candidate as a functional food for colitis.

An independent evaluation in a CRC patient cohort of microbiome 16S rRNA sequence analysis methods: OTU clustering, DADA2, and Deblur

16S rRNA is the universal gene of microbes, and it is often used as a target gene to obtain profiles of microbial communities via next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. Traditionally, sequences are clustered into operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at a 97% threshold based on the taxonomic standard using 16S rRNA, and methods for the reduction of sequencing errors are bypassed, which may lead to false classification units. Several denoising algorithms have been published to solve this problem, such as DADA2 and Deblur, which can correct sequencing errors at single-nucleotide resolution by generating amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). As high-resolution ASVs are becoming more popular than OTUs and only one analysis method is usually selected in a particular study, there is a need for a thorough comparison of OTU clustering and denoising pipelines. In this study, three of the most widely used 16S rRNA methods (two denoising algorithms, DADA2 and Deblur, along with de novo OTU clustering) were thoroughly compared using 16S rRNA amplification sequencing data generated from 358 clinical stool samples from the Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Screening Cohort. Our findings indicated that all approaches led to similar taxonomic profiles (with P > 0.05 in PERMNAOVA and P <0.001 in the Mantel test), although the number of ASVs/OTUs and the alpha-diversity indices varied considerably. Despite considerable differences in disease-related markers identified, disease-related analysis showed that all methods could result in similar conclusions. Fusobacterium, Streptococcus, Peptostreptococcus, Parvimonas, Gemella, and Haemophilus were identified by all three methods as enriched in the CRC group, while Roseburia, Faecalibacterium, Butyricicoccus, and Blautia were identified by all three methods as enriched in the healthy group. In addition, disease-diagnostic models generated using machine learning algorithms based on the data from these different methods all achieved good diagnostic efficiency (AUC: 0.87-0.89), with the model based on DADA2 producing the highest AUC (0.8944 and 0.8907 in the training set and test set, respectively). However, there was no significant difference in performance between the models (P >0.05). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that DADA2, Deblur, and de novo OTU clustering display similar power levels in taxa assignment and can produce similar conclusions in the case of the CRC cohort.

Identification of colorectal cancer progression-associated intestinal microbiome and predictive signature construction

OBJECTIVE

The relationship between intestinal microbiome and colorectal cancer (CRC) progression is unclear. This study aims to identify the intestinal microbiome associated with CRC progression and construct predictive labels to support the accurate assessment and treatment of CRC.

METHOD

The 192 patients included in the study were divided into stage I-II and stage III-IV CRC patients according to the pathological stages, and preoperative stools were collected from both groups for 16S rDNA sequencing of the intestinal microbiota. Pearson correlation and Spearman correlation coefficient analysis were used to analyze the differential intestinal microbiome and the correlation with tumor microenvironment and to predict the functional pathway. XGBoost model (XGB) and Random Forest model (RF) were used to construct the microbiome-based signature. The total RNA extraction from 17 CRC tumor simples was used for transcriptome sequencing.

RESULT

The Simpson index of intestinal microbiome in stage III-IV CRC were significantly lower than those in stage I-II CRC. Proteus, Parabacteroides, Alistipes and Ruminococcus etc. are significantly enriched genus in feces of CRC patients with stage III-IV. ko00514: Other types of O - glycan biosynthesis pathway is relevant with CRC progression. Alistipes indistinctus was positively correlated with mast cells, immune activators IL-6 and IL6R, and GOBP_PROTEIN_FOLDING_IN_ENDOPLASMIC_RETICULUM dominantly. The Random Forest (RF) model and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model constructed with 42 CRC progression-associated differential bacteria were effective in distinguishing CRC patients between stage I-II and stage III-IV.

CONCLUSIONS

The abundance and diversity of intestinal microbiome may increase gradually with the occurrence and progression of CRC. Elevated fetal abundance of Proteus, Parabacteroides, Alistipes and Ruminococcus may contribute to CRC progression. Enhanced synthesis of O - glycans may result in CRC progression. Alistipes indistinctus may play a facilitated role in mast cell maturation by boosting IL-6 production. Alistipes indistinctus may work in the correct folding of endoplasmic reticulum proteins in CRC, reducing ER stress and prompting the survival and deterioration of CRC, which may owe to the enhanced PERK expression and activation of downstream UPR by Alistipes indistinctus. The CRC progression-associated differential intestinal microbiome identified in our study can be served as potential microbial markers for CRC staging prediction.

Different culture media and purification methods unveil the core proteome of Propionibacterium freudenreichii-derived extracellular vesicles

Bacterial extracellular vesicles (EVs) are natural lipidic nanoparticles implicated in intercellular communication. Although EV research focused mainly on pathogens, the interest in probiotic-derived EVs is now rising. One example is Propionibacterium freudenreichii, which produces EVs with anti-inflammatory effects on human epithelial cells. Our previous study with P. freudenreichii showed that EVs purified by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) displayed variations in protein content according to bacterial growth conditions. Considering these content variations, we hypothesized that a comparative proteomic analysis of EVs recovered in different conditions would elucidate whether a representative vesicular proteome existed, possibly providing a robust proteome dataset for further analysis. Therefore, P. freudenreichii was grown in two culture media, and EVs were purified by sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation (UC). Microscopic and size characterization confirmed EV purification, while shotgun proteomics unveiled that they carried a diverse set of proteins. A comparative analysis of the protein content of UC- and SEC-derived EVs, isolated from cultures either in UF (cow milk ultrafiltrate medium) or YEL (laboratory yeast extract lactate medium), showed that EVs from all these conditions shared 308 proteins. This EV core proteome was notably enriched in proteins related to immunomodulation. Moreover, it showed distinctive features, including highly interacting proteins, compositional biases for some specific amino acids, and other biochemical parameters. Overall, this work broadens the toolset for the purification of P. freudenreichii-derived EVs, identifies a representative vesicular proteome, and enumerates conserved features in vesicular proteins. These results hold the potential for providing candidate biomarkers of purification quality, and insights into the mechanisms of EV biogenesis and cargo sorting.

Role of Dietary Defatted Rice Bran in the Modulation of Gut Microbiota in AOM/DSS-Induced Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer Rat Model

Defatted rice bran (DRB) is a by-product of rice bran derived after the oil extraction. DRB contains several bioactive compounds, including dietary fiber and phytochemicals. The supplementation with DRB manifests chemopreventive effects in terms of anti-chronic inflammation, anti-cell proliferation, and anti-tumorigenesis in the azoxymethane (AOM) and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CRC) model in rats. However, little is known about its effect on gut microbiota. Herein, we investigated the effect of DRB on gut microbiota and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, colonic goblet cell loss, and mucus layer thickness in the AOM/DSS-induced colitis-associated CRC rat model. The results suggested that DRB enhanced the production of beneficial bacteria (Alloprevotella, Prevotellaceae UCG-001, Ruminococcus, Roseburia, Butyricicoccus) and lessened the production of harmful bacteria (Turicibacter, Clostridium sensu stricto 1, Escherichia-Shigella, Citrobacter) present in colonic feces, mucosa, and tumors. In addition, DRB also assisted the cecal SCFAs (acetate, propionate, butyrate) production. Furthermore, DRB restored goblet cell loss and improved the thickness of the mucus layer in colonic tissue. These findings suggested that DRB could be used as a prebiotic supplement to modulate gut microbiota dysbiosis, which decreases the risks of CRC, therefore encouraging further research on the utilization of DRB in various nutritional health products to promote the health-beneficial bacteria in the colon.

Decision Tree Ensembles Utilizing Multivariate Splits Are Effective at Investigating Beta Diversity in Medically Relevant 16S Amplicon Sequencing Data

Developing an understanding of how microbial communities vary across conditions is an important analytical step. We used 16S rRNA data isolated from human stool samples to investigate whether learned dissimilarities, such as those produced using unsupervised decision tree ensembles, can be used to improve the analysis of the composition of bacterial communities in patients suffering from Crohn's disease and adenomas/colorectal cancers. We also introduce a workflow capable of learning dissimilarities, projecting them into a lower dimensional space, and identifying features that impact the location of samples in the projections. For example, when used with the centered log ratio transformation, our new workflow (TreeOrdination) could identify differences in the microbial communities of Crohn's disease patients and healthy controls. Further investigation of our models elucidated the global impact amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) had on the locations of samples in the projected space and how each ASV impacted individual samples in this space. Furthermore, this approach can be used to integrate patient data easily into the model and results in models that generalize well to unseen data. Models employing multivariate splits can improve the analysis of complex high-throughput sequencing data sets because they are better able to learn about the underlying structure of the data set. IMPORTANCE There is an ever-increasing level of interest in accurately modeling and understanding the roles that commensal organisms play in human health and disease. We show that learned representations can be used to create informative ordinations. We also demonstrate that the application of modern model introspection algorithms can be used to investigate and quantify the impacts of taxa in these ordinations, and that the taxa identified by these approaches have been associated with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases and colorectal cancer.

The Metagenomic Composition and Effects of Fecal-Microbe-Derived Extracellular Vesicles on Intestinal Permeability Depend on the Patient's Disease

The composition and impact of fecal-microbe-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) present in different diseases has not been analyzed. We determined the metagenomic profiling of feces and fecal-microbe-derived EVs from healthy subjects and patients with different diseases (diarrhea, morbid obesity and Crohn's disease (CD)) and the effect of these fecal EVs on the cellular permeability of Caco-2 cells. The control group presented higher proportions of Pseudomonas and Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group and lower proportions of Phascolarctobacterium, Veillonella and Veillonellaceae_ge in EVs when compared with the feces from which these EVs were isolated. In contrast, there were significant differences in 20 genera between the feces and EV compositions in the disease groups. Bacteroidales and Pseudomonas were increased, and Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcus, Clostridium and Subdoligranum were decreased in EVs from control patients compared with the other three groups of patients. Tyzzerella, Verrucomicrobiaceae, Candidatus_Paracaedibacter and Akkermansia were increased in EVs from the CD group compared with the morbid obesity and diarrhea groups. Fecal EVs from the morbid obesity, CD and, mainly, diarrhea induced a significant increase in the permeability of Caco-2 cells. In conclusion, the metagenomic composition of fecal-microbe-derived EVs changes depending on the disease of the patients. The modification of the permeability of Caco-2 cells produced by fecal EVs depends on the disease of the patients.

The Gut Microbiota Metabolite Urolithin B Prevents Colorectal Carcinogenesis by Remodeling Microbiota and PD-L1/HLA-B

Colorectal cancer has risen to the third occurring cancer in the world. Fluorouracil (5-Fu), oxaliplatin, and cisplatin are the most effective chemotherapeutic agents for clinical chemotherapy. Nevertheless, due to chemotherapeutic drug resistance, the survival rate of patients with CRC remains very low. In this study, we used the inflammation-induced or mutation-family-inherited murine CRC models to study the anticancer and immunotherapy effects of urolithin B (UB), the final metabolite of polyphenols in the gastrointestinal tract. The label-free proteomics analysis and the gene ontology (GO) classifications were used to test and analyze the proteins affected by UB. And 16S rDNA sequencing and flow cytometry were utilized to uncover gut microbiome composition and immune defense improved by UB administration. The results indicated that urolithin B prevents colorectal carcinogenesis by remodeling gut microbial and tumor immune microenvironments, such as HLA-B, NK cells, regulatory T cells, and γδ TCR cells, and decreasing the PD-L1. The combination of urolithin B with first-line therapeutic drugs improved the colorectal intestinal hematochezia by shaping gut microbiota, providing a strategy for the treatment of immunotherapy treatment for CRC treatments. UB combined with anti-PD-1 antibody could inhibit the growth of colon cancer. Urolithin B may thus contribute to anticancer treatments and provide a high immune response microenvironment for CRC patients' further immunotherapy.

Potential of Gut Microbe-Derived Extracellular Vesicles to Differentiate Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients from Healthy Controls

Background/Aims

This study aimed to evaluate the potential of the stool microbiome and gut microbe-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) to differentiate between patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and healthy controls, and to predict relapse in patients with IBD.

Methods

Metagenomic profiling of the microbiome and bacterial EVs in stool samples of controls (n=110) and patients with IBD (n=110) was performed using 16S rRNA sequencing and then compared. Patients with IBD were divided into two enterotypes based on their microbiome, and the cumulative risk of relapse was evaluated.

Results

There was a significant difference in the composition of the stool microbiome and gut microbe-derived EVs between patients with IBD and controls. The alpha diversity of the microbiome in patients with IBD was significantly lower than that in controls, while the beta diversity also differed significantly between the two groups. These findings were more prominent in gut microbe-derived EVs than in the stool microbiome. The survival curve tended to be different for enterotypes based on the gut microbe-derived EVs; however, this difference was not statistically significant (log-rank test, p=0.166). In the multivariable analysis, elevated fecal calprotectin (>250 mg/kg) was the only significant risk factor associated with relapse (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.147; 95% confidence interval, 1.545 to 6.408; p=0.002).

Conclusions

Analysis of gut microbe-derived EVs is better at differentiating patients with IBD from healthy controls than stool microbiome analysis.

Research trends on the relationship between gut microbiota and colorectal cancer: A bibliometric analysis

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC)is the third most common cancer in the world and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and over the past two decades, many of these researchers have provided a substantial amount of important information on the role of gut microbes in the development and progression of CRC. A causal relationship between the presence of specific microorganisms and CRC development has also been validated. Although a large number of papers related to this area have been published, no bibliometric study has been conducted to review the current state of research in this area and to highlight the research trends and hotspots in this area. This study aims to analyze the current status and future research trends of gut microbiota and CRC through bibliometric analysis.

Methods

Publications from 2001 to 2022 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database and screened according to inclusion criteria. VOSviewer and CiteSpace software were used to visualize the research trends in this field, including the analysis of title, country, institution, author, number of publications, year of publication, number of citations, journal, and H-index.

Results

A total of 863 studies were eventually identified, and the articles retrieved were cited an average of 44.85 times each. The number of publications on this topic has been increased steadily since 2011. China and the USA have made the largest contribution in the field. FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY is the top productive journal with 26 papers, and Gut journal has the highest average citation (167.23). Shanghai Jiao Tong University is the most contributive institution. Professor Yu J, Sung, Joseph J. Y and Fang JY are the most productive authors in this field. Keyword co-occurrence analysis showed that the terms of "Gut Microbiota", "Colorectal Cancer", "Inflammation", "Probiotic" and "Fusobacterium Nucleatum" were the most frequent, which revealed the research hotpots and trends in this field.

Conclusions

There has been a growing number of publications over the past two decades according to the global trends. China and the USA still maintained the leading position in this field. However, collaboration between institutions needs to be strengthened. It's commended to pay attention to the latest hotspots, such as "F. nucleatum" and "probiotics". This bibliometric analysis evaluates the scope and trends of gut microbiota and CRC, providing a useful perspective on current research and future directions for studying the link between the gut microbiota and CRC.

Analysis of the gut microbiome using extracellular vesicles in the urine of patients with colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND/AIMS

We evaluated the gut microbiome using extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the urine of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) to determine whether gut-microbe-derived EVs could be a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of CRC.

METHODS

EVs were isolated from the urine of patients with CRC and healthy controls. DNA was extracted from the EVs, and the bacterial composition was analyzed using next-generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA.

RESULTS

A total of 91 patients with CRC and 116 healthy controls were enrolled. We found some specific microbiomes that were more or less abundant in the CRC group than in the control group. The alpha-diversity of the gut microbiome was significantly lower in the CRC group than in the control group. A significant difference was observed in the beta-diversity between the groups. The alpha-diversity indices between patients with early- and late-stage CRC showed conflicting results; however, there was no significant difference in the beta-diversity according to the stage of CRC. There was no difference in the alpha- and beta-diversity of the gut microbiome corresponding to the location of CRC (proximal vs. distal).

CONCLUSION

A distinct gut microbiome is reflected in the urine EVs of patients with CRC compared with that in the healthy controls. Microbial signatures from EVs in urine could serve as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of CRC.

The emerging roles of long non-coding RNA in host immune response and intracellular bacterial infections

The long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are evolutionarily conserved classes of non-coding regulatory transcripts of > 200 nucleotides in length. They modulate several transcriptional and post-transcriptional events in the organism. Depending on their cellular localization and interactions, they regulate chromatin function and assembly; and alter the stability and translation of cytoplasmic mRNAs. Although their proposed range of functionality remains controversial, there is increasing research evidence that lncRNAs play a regulatory role in the activation, differentiation and development of immune signaling cascades; microbiome development; and in diseases such as neuronal and cardiovascular disorders; cancer; and pathogenic infections. This review discusses the functional roles of different lncRNAs in regulation of host immune responses, signaling pathways during host-microbe interaction and infection caused by obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens. The study of lncRNAs is assuming significance as it could be exploited for development of alternative therapeutic strategies for the treatment of severe and chronic pathogenic infections caused by Mycobacterium, Chlamydia and Rickettsia infections, as well as commensal colonization. Finally, this review summarizes the translational potential of lncRNA research in development of diagnostic and prognostic tools for human diseases.

Bacterial extracellular vesicles and associated functional proteins in fermented dairy products with Lacticaseibacillus paracasei

Cells of all kingdoms produce extracellular vesicles (EVs); hence, they are present in most environments and body fluids. Lacticaseibacillus paracasei produces EVs that have attached biologically active proteins (P40 and P75). In this study, EV and functional proteins were found in five different commercial dairy-fermented products carrying L. paracasei. Strains present in those products were isolated, and with one exception, all produced small EVs (24-47 d.nm) carrying P40 and P75. In order to winnow bacterial EV from milk EV, products were subjected to centrifugal fractionation at 15,000 × g (15 K), 33,000 × g (33 K), and 100,000 × g (100 K). P75 was present in all supernatants and pellets, but P40 was only found in two products bound to the 15 and 33 K pellets, and 16S rDNA of L. paracasei could be amplified from all 100 K EVs, indicating the presence of L. paracasei EV. To investigate the interactions of bacterial EV and proteins with milk EV, L. paracasei BL23 EV was added to three commercial UHT milk products. Small-size vesicles (50-60 d.nm) similar to L. paracasei BL23 EV were found in samples from 100 K centrifugations, but intriguingly, P40 and P75 were bound to EV in 15 and 33 K pellets, containing bovine milk EV of larger size (200-300 d.nm). Sequencing 16S rDNA bands amplified from EV evidenced the presence of bacterial EVs of diverse origins in milk and fermented products. Furthermore, L. paracasei 16S rDNA could be amplified with species-specific primers from all samples, showing the presence of L. paracasei EV in all EV fractions (15, 33, and 100 K), suggesting that these bacterial EVs possibly aggregate and are co-isolated with EV from milk. P40 and P75 proteins would be interacting with specific populations of milk EV (15 and 33 K) because they were detected bound to them in fermented products and milk, and this possibly forced the sedimentation of part of L. paracasei EV at lower centrifugal forces. This study has solved technically complex problems and essential questions which will facilitate new research focusing on the molecular behavior of probiotics during fermentation and the mechanisms of action mediating the health benefits of fermented products.

Oral Microbiota as Novel Biomarkers for Colorectal Cancer Screening

Alterations of the gut microbiome in cases of colorectal cancer (CRC) hint at the involvement of host-microbe interactions in the onset and progression of CRC and also, possibly, provide novel ways to detect and prevent CRC early. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the oral and fecal microbiomes of an individual can be suitable for CRC screening. Oral and fecal samples (n = 80) were gathered in Taleghani hospital, affiliated with Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran-Iran, from CRC stage 0 and I patients and healthy controls (HCs), who were screened for the first time. Microbial metagenomics assays were performed for studying microbiota profiles in all oral and fecal samples gathered. An abundance of top bacterial genera from both types of specimens (fecal and saliva samples) revealed a distinction between CRC patients and HCs. In saliva samples, the α diversity index was different between the microbiome of HCs and CRC patients, while β diversity showed a densely clustered microbiome in the HCs but a more dispersed pattern in CRC cases. The α and β diversity of fecal microbiota between HCs and CRC patients showed no statistically significant differences. Bifidobacterium was identified as a potential bacterial biomarker in CRC saliva samples, while Fusobacterium, Dialister, Catonella, Tennerella, Eubacterium-brachy-group, and Fretibacterium were ideal to distinguish HCs from CRC patients. One of the reasons for the heterogeneity of CRC may be the gastrointestinal (GI) tract microbiota, which can also cause systematic resistance to CRC. Moreover, an evaluation of saliva microbiota might offer a suitable screening test for the early detection of this malignancy, providing more accurate results than its fecal counterpart.

Bacterial extracellular vesicles in biofluids as potential diagnostic biomarkers

INTRODUCTION

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are spherical membrane-derived lipid bilayers released by cells. The human microbiota consists of trillions of microorganisms, with bacteria being the largest group secreting microbial EVs. The discovery of bacterial EVs (BEVs) has garnered interest among researchers as potential diagnostic markers, given that the microbiota is known to be associated with various diseases and EVs carry important macromolecular cargo for intercellular interaction.

AREAS COVERED

The differential bacterial composition identified from BEVs isolated from biofluids between patients and healthy controls may be valuable for detecting diseases. Therefore, BEVs may serve as novel diagnostic markers. Literature search on PubMed and Google Scholar databases was conducted. In this special report, we outline the commonly used approach for investigating BEVs in biofluids, the 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing of V3-V4 hypervariable regions, and the recent studies exploring the potential of BEVs as biomarkers for various diseases.

EXPERT OPINION

The emerging field of BEVs offers new possibilities for the diagnosis of various types of diseases, although there remain issues that need to be resolved in this research area to implement BEVs in clinical applications. Hence, it is important for future studies to take these challenges into consideration when investigating the diagnostic value of BEVs.

The difference of human gut microbiome in colorectal cancer with and without metastases

Metastasis of colorectal cancer is deemed to be closely related to the changes in the human gut microbiome. The purpose of our study is to distinguish the differences in gut microbiota between colorectal cancer with and without metastases. Firstly, this study recruited colorectal cancer patients who met the established inclusion and exclusion criteria in the Oncology Department of Zhejiang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from February 2019 to June 2019. Fresh stool samples from healthy volunteers, non-metastatic patients, and metastatic patients were collected for 16S rRNA gene sequencing, to analyze the diversity and abundance of intestinal microorganisms in each group. The results showed that the microbial composition of the control group was more aplenty than the experimental group, while the difference also happened in the Tumor and the metastases group. At the phylum level, the abundance of Bacteroidetes significantly declined in the Tumor and the metastases group, compared with the control group. At the class level, Bacilli increased in experimental groups, while its abundance in the Tumor group was significantly higher than that in the metastases group. At the order level, the Tumor group had the highest abundance of Lactobacillales, followed by the metastases group and the control group had the lowest abundance. Overall, our study showed that the composition of the flora changed with the occurrence of metastasis in colorectal cancer. Therefore, the analysis of gut microbiota can serve as a supplement biological basis for the diagnosis and treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer which may offer the potential to develop non-invasive diagnostic tests.

Recent Advances in the Study of Extracellular Vesicles in Colorectal Cancer

There has been significant progress in the study of extracellular vesicles (EVs) since the 2017 American Gastroenterological Association-sponsored Freston Conference "Extracellular Vesicles: Biology, Translation and Clinical Application in GI Disorders." The burgeoning interest in this field stems from the increasing recognition that EVs represent an understudied form of cell-to-cell communication and contain cargo replete with biomarkers and therapeutic targets. This short review will highlight recent advances in the field, with an emphasis on colorectal cancer. After a brief introduction to secreted particles, we will describe how our laboratory became interested in EVs, which led to refined methods of isolation and identification of 2 secreted nanoparticles. We will then summarize the cargo found in small EVs released from colorectal cancer cells and other cells in the tumor microenvironment, as well as those found in the circulation of patients with colorectal cancer. Finally, we will consider the continuing challenges and future opportunities in this rapidly evolving field.

Gut bacterial extracellular vesicles: important players in regulating intestinal microenvironment

Intestinal microenvironment dysbiosis is one of the major causes of diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and colon cancer. Microbiota-based strategies have excellent clinical potential in the treatment of repetitive and refractory diseases; however, the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain elusive. Identification of the internal regulatory mechanism of the gut microbiome and the interaction mechanisms involving bacteria-host is essential to achieve precise control of the gut microbiome and obtain effective clinical data. Gut bacteria-derived extracellular vesicles (GBEVs) are lipid bilayer nanoparticles secreted by the gut microbiota and are considered key players in bacteria-bacteria and bacteria-host communication. This review focusses on the role of GBEVs in gut microbiota interactions and bacteria-host communication, and the potential clinical applications of GBEVs.

Characteristics of gastric cancer gut microbiome according to tumor stage and age segmentation

With the development of 16S rRNA technology, gut microbiome evaluation has been performed in many diseases, including gastrointestinal tumors. Among these cancers, gastric cancer (GC) exhibits high morbidity and mortality and has been extensively studied in its pathogenesis and diagnosis techniques. The current researches have proved that the gut microbiome may have the potential to distinguish GC patients from healthy patients. However, the change of the gut microbiome according to tumor node metastasis classification (TNM) has not been clarified. Besides, the characteristics of gut microbiome in GC patients and their ages of onset are also ambiguous. To address the above shortcomings, we investigated 226 fecal samples and divided them according to their tumor stage and onset age. The findings revealed that surgery and tumor stage can change the characteristic of GC patients' gut microbiota. In specific, the effect of surgery on early gastric cancer (EGC) was greater than that on advanced gastric cancer (AGC), and the comparison of postoperative microflora with healthy people indicated that EGC has more differential bacteria than AGC. Besides, we found that Collinsella, Blautia, Anaerostipes, Dorea, and Lachnospiraceae_ND3007_group expressed differently between EGC and AGC. More importantly, it is the first time revealed that the composition of gut microbiota in GC is different between different onset ages. KEY POINTS: •Gut microbiota of gastric cancer (GC) patients are either highly associated with TNM stage and surgery or not. It shows surgery has more significant changes in early gastric cancer (EGC) than advanced gastric cancer (AGC). •There existed specific gut microbiota between EGC and AGC which may have potential to distinguish the early or advanced GC. •Onset age of GC may influence the gut microbiota: the composition of gut microbiota of early-onset gastric cancer (EOGC) and late-onset gastric cancer (LOGC) is significantly different.

Role of microbial secreted proteins in gut microbiota-host interactions

The mammalian gut microbiota comprises a variety of commensals including potential probiotics and pathobionts, influencing the host itself. Members of the microbiota can intervene with host physiology by several mechanisms, including the secretion of a relatively well-reported set of metabolic products. Another microbiota influence mechanism is the use of secreted proteins (i.e., the secretome), impacting both the host and other community members. While widely reported and studied in pathogens, this mechanism remains understood to a lesser extent in commensals, and this knowledge is increasing in recent years. In the following minireview, we assess the current literature covering different studies, concerning the functions of secretable proteins from members of the gut microbiota (including commensals, pathobionts, and probiotics). Their effect on host physiology and health, and how these effects can be harnessed by postbiotic products, are also discussed.

Berberine regulates short-chain fatty acid metabolism and alleviates the colitis-associated colorectal tumorigenesis through remodeling intestinal flora

BACKGROUND

Colitis-associated cancer (CAC) is known to be a complex combination of tumor cells, non-tumor cells and a large intestinal flora. The increasing role of intestinal flora in CAC may represent a new approach to improving CAC treatment. Berberine can reduce colorectal adenoma recurrence and inhibit colorectal carcinogenesis.

PURPOSE

Berberine has demonstrated efficacy for the control and suppression of CAC. Given the low oral absorption into the blood and large intestinal excretion of berberine, intestinal flora may be one of the important targets of berberine inhibiting the occurrence of colorectal cancer (CRC). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of berberine on intestinal flora in CAC mice and its ability to remodel intestinal flora to improve short-chain fatty acid metabolism.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

The CAC model in mice was induced by Azoxymethane/Dextran sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS). Berberine was administered daily at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg, and aspirin was used as the positive control. The effect of berberine on colitis-associated colorectal tumorigenesis was assessed by general imaging, tumor counting, and Ki67 staining. Intestinal flora changes were detected by 16S rDNA sequencing technology. Targeted short-chain fatty acid detection was performed by GC-MS/MS, and Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels in feces were quantified with an ELISA kit. The signaling pathway of TLR4/NF-κB P65/IL-6/p-STAT3 was evaluated by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. The expression levels of intestinal barrier functional biomarkers Occludin and ZO-1 were detected by immunohistochemistry. Fecal flora transplantation (FMT) was used to evaluate the effect of intestinal flora in inhibiting inflammatory cancer transformation by berberine.

RESULTS

Berberine reduced the number and load of tumors in CAC mice. Berberine remodeled the composition of pathogenic and beneficial bacteria in mice with colitis-associated colorectal tumorigenesis. Berberine treatment resulted in increases in fecal butyric acid, acetic acid and propionic acid levels, but did not alter isobutyric acid, isovaleric acid, valeric acid and caproic acid. In addition, berberine reduced LPS content in feces in mice with colitis-associated colorectal tumorigenesis. Occludin and ZO-1 were upregulated, and the TLR4/p-NF-κB p65/IL-6/p-STAT3 inflammatory-cancer transformation pathway was inhibited with berberine. The FMT results further verified that the berberine-treated intestinal flora was sufficient to alleviate the occurrence of colonic tumors associated with colitis in mice.

CONCLUSION

Our study showed that berberine alleviated the colitis-associated colorectal tumorigenesis from three equilibrium levels: (1) Pathogenic and beneficial bacteria; (2) Short-chain fatty acids and LPS produced by intestinal flora; and (3) Inflammatory cancer transformation signaling and intestinal barrier function. This study provided a new approach and experimental basis for the application of berberine in the treatment of CAC in clinical practice.

Biofluids manipulation methods for liquid biopsy in minimally-invasive assays

The Liquid Biopsy (LB) is an opportunity for non-invasive diagnosis and prognosis of various diseases. To date, it isn't possible to consider that tissue biopsy can represent a pathology entirety. Then, body fluids are rich in a large number and variety of biomarkers and they can provide information about several diseases.•

Recently, other biological fluids, easy to be collected are rising for their significant content of biomarkers and for the possibility to collect and manipulate them without the intervention of medical staff.

•

The management of biological fluids requires suitable storage methods. Temperature, storage time and physical stresses due to sample handling can lead to chemical and physical changes that may induce sample degradation and incorrect analysis.

•

The reliability of a diagnostic or screening test depends on its sensitivity and specificity. As the liquid biopsy is a 'snapshot' of a pathophysiological condition, it is crucial that its components do not degrade due to the improper handling of the body fluid.

In this review, some handling methods of Saliva, Urine, Stool, Seminal Fluid, Tears and Sweat samples will be described, as well as protocols to facilitate the analysis of metabolites, nucleic acids, proteins and Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) from those unusual body fluids.

Consumption of Yoghurt and Other Dairy Products and Risk of Colorectal Cancer in Iran: The IROPICAN Study

Background: There is evidence of an inverse association between yoghurt intake and risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). We aimed at investigating the association between the intake of yoghurt and other dairy foods consumed in Iran and CRC risk. Methods: Our analysis included 4070 subjects within the IROPICAN (Iran Study of Opium and Cancer) study. Detailed information was collected by the use of validated questionnaires. We estimated adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between the intake of total dairy products, and, separately, of yoghurt, milk, cheese, kashk, dough, cream, ice cream, and other milk products, and CRC using unconditional logistic regression analyses. The intake was categorized in tertiles. Results: Overall, we analyzed 865 cases and 3205 controls. Total dairy products intake was not associated with CRC. The OR for one tertile increase (OR_T) in yoghurt intake was 0.97 (95% CI 0.87–1.08) for CRC and 0.66 (95% CI 0.52–0.84) for proximal colon cancer. Cream intake was associated with CRC (OR_T3 = 1.33, 95% CI 1.08–1.64), colon (OR_T3 = 1.37, 95% CI 1.03–1.81), and proximal cancer (OR_T3 = 1.29, 95% CI 1.04–1.61). The OR of distal colon cancer for ice cream intake was 0.59 (95% CI 0.43–0.82). Other dairy products were not associated with CRC risk.

Diagnostic and Therapeutic Uses of the Microbiome in the Field of Oncology

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and it can affect almost every part of the human body. Effective screening and early diagnosis of cancers is extremely difficult due to the multifactorial etiology of the disease and delayed presentation of the patients. The available treatments are usually not specific to the affected organ system, leading to intolerable systemic side effects and early withdrawal from therapies. In vivo and in vitro studies have revealed an association of specific microbiome signatures with individual cancers. The cancer-related human microbiome has also been shown to affect the response of tissues to chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation. This is an excellent opportunity for us to design specific screening markers using the microbiome to prevent cancers and diagnose them early. We can also develop precise treatments that can target cancer-affected specific organ systems and probably use a lesser dose of chemotherapy or radiation for the same effect. This prevents adverse effects and early cessation of treatments. However, we need further studies to exactly clarify and characterize these associations. In this review article, we focus on the association of the microbiome with individual cancers and highlight its future role in cancer screenings, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatments.