Complex and intricate circuitries regulate cellular proliferation, survival, and growth,
and alterations of this network through genetic and epigenetic events result in aberrant
cellular behaviors, often leading to carcinogenesis. Although specific germline mutations
have been recognized as cancer inducers, the vast majority of neoplastic changes in
humans occur through environmental exposure, lifestyle, and diet. An emerging concept
in cancer biology implicates the microbiota as a powerful environmental factor modulating
the carcinogenic process. For example, the intestinal microbiota influences cancer
development or therapeutic responses through specific activities (immune responses,
metabolites, microbial structures, and toxins). The numerous effects of microbiota
on carcinogenesis, ranging from promoting, preventing, or even influencing therapeutic
outcomes, highlight the complex relationship between the biota and the host. In this
review, we discuss the latest findings on this complex microbial interaction with
the host and highlight potential mechanisms by which the microbiota mediates such
a wide impact on carcinogenesis.
Abbreviations:
AOM (azoxymethane), Apc (adenomatous polyposis coli), CAC (colitis associated cancer), CRC (colorectal cancer), DNA-PK (DNA-dependent protein kinase), GF (germ free), GI (gastrointestinal), IBD (inflammatory bowel diseases), IL (interleukin), MAIT (mucosa-associated invariant T), MTX (methotrexate), NLR (NOD-like receptor), NLRP1 (NLR family, pyrin domain containing 1), NOD (nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein), PDL-1 (programmed cell death protein 1 ligand 1), PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase), PRR (pattern recognition receptors), SCFA (short chain fatty acids), TIGIT (T cell immunoglobulin and ITIM domain), TLR (toll-like receptors), Tregs (regulatory T cells), WT (wild type)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 02, 2016
Accepted:
July 20,
2016
Received in revised form:
July 18,
2016
Received:
April 22,
2016
Identification
Copyright
© 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
