Cited by 2,198Gut microbiota and healthOral microbiology and periodontitis researchCancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers

Fusobacterium nucleatum Promotes Chemoresistance to Colorectal Cancer by Modulating Autophagy

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Yu, TaChung, Guo, Fangfang, Yu, Yanan, Sun, Tiantian, Ma, Dan, Han, Jixuan, Qian, Yun, Kryczek, Ilona +7 more·2017·Cell

Abstract

Gut microbiota are linked to chronic inflammation and carcinogenesis. Chemotherapy failure is the major cause of recurrence and poor prognosis in colorectal cancer patients. Here, we investigated the contribution of gut microbiota to chemoresistance in patients with colorectal cancer. We found that Fusobacterium (F.) nucleatum was abundant in colorectal cancer tissues in patients with recurrence post chemotherapy, and was associated with patient clinicopathological characterisitcs. Furthermore, our bioinformatic and functional studies demonstrated that F. nucleatum promoted colorectal cancer resistance to chemotherapy. Mechanistically, F. nucleatum targeted TLR4 and MYD88 innate immune signaling and specific microRNAs to activate the autophagy pathway and alter colorectal cancer chemotherapeutic response. Thus, F. nucleatum orchestrates a molecular network of the Toll-like receptor, microRNAs, and autophagy to clinically, biologically, and mechanistically control colorectal cancer chemoresistance. Measuring and targeting F. nucleatum and its associated pathway will yield valuable insight into clinical management and may ameliorate colorectal cancer patient outcomes.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.cell.2017.07.008

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  • Higher Fusobacterium nucleatum abundance, present in about 10%-15% of tumors, is associated with advanced disease stage, higher recurrence risk, and shorter survival.

    “a higher abundance of F nucleatum (present in approximately 10%–15% of tumors) has been associated with advanced disease stage, higher risk of recurrence, and shorter patient survival times.23, 26, 28”
  • Bioinformatic and functional work suggests Fusobacterium nucleatum triggers innate immunity through TLR4 and MYD88, causing loss of certain microRNAs, which turns on autophagy and drives chemoresistance in colorectal cancer patients.

    “Bioinformatic and functional studies indicated that F nucleatum activates innate immune responses, via TLR4 and MYD88, resulting in loss of specific microRNAs. This resulted in activation of autophagy activation and promotion of chemoresistance in patients with CRC.28”
  • Fusobacterium nucleatum makes colorectal cancer cells more resistant to chemotherapy.

    “F nucleatum was promotes resistance of CRC cells to chemotherapy.28”
  • Tumor tissue from patients whose cancer returned after chemotherapy contained more Fusobacterium nucleatum.

    “Patients with post-chemotherapy recurrence had a higher abundance of F nucleatum in tumor tissues.28, 193”
  • Intratumor microbes have cancer-specific effects on chemoresistance via direct microbial metabolism (cytidine deaminase degradation of gemcitabine) in pancreatic cancer or indirect amplification of cancer cell autophagy in colorectal cancer.

    “(iii) chemoresistance via direct microbial metabolism (cytidine deaminase degradation of gemcitabine) in pancreatic cancer or indirect amplification of cancer cell autophagy in colorectal cancer (14, 104)”

    From The microbiome and human cancer (2021) · cites this paper as [104]

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Authors
Yu, T., Guo, F., Yu, Y., Sun, T., Ma, D., Han, J., Qian, Y., Kryczek, I., Sun, D., Nagarsheth, N., Chen, Y., Chen, H., Hong, J., Zou, W., & Fang, J.-Y.
Affiliations
  • Shanghai Jiao Tong University (CN)
  • University of Michigan (US)
Corresponding author
  • Chen, Yingxuan
  • Chen, Haoyan
  • Hong, Jie
  • Zou, Weiping
  • Fang, Jing-Yuan
Venue
Cell
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2017-07
Volume
170
Issue
3
Pages
548-563.e16
ISSN
0092-8674 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2742147437
Cited by
2,198
References
50
Citations by year
2026: 265 · 2025: 291 · 2024: 300 · 2023: 323 · 2022: 287 · 2021: 268 · 2020: 214 · 2019: 124 · 2018: 105 · 2017: 17
FWCI
51.47
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cell (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (81421001, 81320108024, 81530072, 81522008 31371273, 31371420, 81572303, 81001070)
  • National Key Technology R&D Program (2014BAI09B05)
  • Program for Professor of Special Appointment (Eastern Scholar No. 201268, 2015 Youth Eastern Scholar NO.QD2015003)
  • Shanghai Institutions of Higher Learning, the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission—Gaofeng Clinical Medicine Grant (20152512, 20161309)
  • National Cancer Institute (CA211016)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
  • Health Sciences › Dentistry › Periodontics › Oral microbiology and periodontitis research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers
Keywords
Fusobacterium nucleatum, colorectal cancer, chemoresistance, autophagy, gut microbiota, TLR4, MyD88, microRNA, innate immune signaling, chronic inflammation
MeSH terms
Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Capecitabine, Animals, Antineoplastic Agents, Autophagy, Neoplasm Transplantation, Recurrence, Colorectal Neoplasms, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Platinum Compounds, Drug Resistance, Neoplasm, MicroRNAs, Toll-Like Receptors, Mice, Tumor Microenvironment, Heterografts

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