Review article
Probiotic species in the modulation of the anticancer immune response
Section snippets
The mammalian immune system and cancer
Cancer arises from the accumulation of a variable number of genetic alterations that reroute key pathways in the regulation of cell survival and death. In principle, adaptive immunity should be able to prevent cancer development, at least in immune-competent hosts [1]. However, for an effective anticancer immune response, a series of events has to be initiated and allowed to proceed and expand iteratively [2].
At first, tumor antigens originated from different sources, such as mutations
The gut microbiota in immune homeostasis and cancer
Human intestine harbors hundred trillion organisms (mainly bacteria), representing the most densely populated ecosystem known to date [21]. The bacterial, fungal, and viral intestinal communities are commonly referred to as the gut microbiota and altogether their genomes are referred to as the gut microbiome. In humans, the latter may encode ∼150 times more genes than human genomes themselves, thus the gut microenvironment may be regarded as a complex bioreactor replete with diverse biochemical
Probiotic bacteria strains reprogram anticancer immune response
The most significant in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies, regarding the influence of probiotic bacteria strains on anticancer immune response are indicated in Table 1.
Novel perspectives: manipulation of gut microbiota through probiotics to mount immunotherapy efficacy in cancer patients
The fact that the gut microbiota has a substantial influence on immune responses, in animals as well as in humans, has been now extensively demonstrated [23], [67], [111]. However, recently, mounting evidences suggest that an “optimal” microbiota can efficiently optimize the immune response against multiple solid cancers. More importantly, it has been demonstrated that some gut bacteria strains synergize with largely-used anticancer drugs as alkylating or immune checkpoint blockade agents. In
Concluding remarks
The recent flurry of scientific works on the effects of intestinal microbiota on tumors opens up an entirely new approach to the understanding and treatment of cancer disease. However, all the above-mentioned results have to be interpreted with caution as every experiment was made on cancers mice models. The next effort will be to apply all the acquired knowledge to human being and important differences may arise. It will be of fundamental importance to recognize exactly which bacteria strains
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.
Funding
None.
Acknowledgement
The assistance of the staff is gratefully appreciated.
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2023, Coordination Chemistry ReviewsCitation Excerpt :This manipulation can be achieved either through the activation of a favorable microbiome or inhibition of the unfavorable microbiome [329]. Administrating probiotics, a group of viable microorganisms which, in the right amounts, can confer health benefits, has been associated with the reduction of progression of various cancers [329,330]. For instance, the intravesical administration of L. casei to mice with bladder cancer resulted in a significantly reduced rate of tumor progression and increased infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages within the tumor microenvironment [331].
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2021, Seminars in Cancer BiologyCitation Excerpt :That same year, a randomized clinical trial with CRC patients clearly underscored that administration of a mixture of pre- and probiotics can significantly lower post- operative infection rates in the patients [28]. Bifidobacterium is involved in the alteration of DC activity which augments the function of tumor- specific CD8 + T cells [94]. Administration of L. rhamnosus GG significantly participates in the reduced incidence of recurrent bladder cancer by enhancing the secretion of chemokine XCL1 from activated CD8+ and γδ T cells, NK and master cells [95].
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2020, Current Opinion in MicrobiologyCitation Excerpt :In contrast Germ free mice lack fully matured immune system and also depletion of microbiota with broad spectrum antibiotics can reduce the efficacy of immunosurveillance in mouse models [28]. This function is further extended to the ability of microbes to stimulate activation of various immune cells subsets; for example, members of Lactobacilla phylum activate antitumor immune responses by dendritic cell (DC) maturation [29] and subsequently for acquisition of cytotoxic properties by T cells, NK cells, NK T cells and anti-tumorigenic myeloid cells [30], while many types of bacteria can activate macrophages, neutrophils, DC and B cells. Fourth mechanism stems from the aforementioned ability of bacteria to drive activation of immune system and is related to the ability of some bacteria to improve anti-cancer therapies [6].
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These Authors contributed equally to this work.