Intratumoural microorganism can affect the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND Several recent studies have confirmed that intratumoural microorganisms can affect the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC);however,their role in tumor progression remains unclear.Hence,there is a need for further research on the role of intratumoural microorganisms in HCC.AIM To investigate the changes in intratumoural microorganisms in HCC and the effect of Propionibacterium on HCC progression.METHODS HCC and normal liver tissue specimens were subjected to fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH).After performing 16S rRNA sequencing on HCC and peritumoral tissues to analyze the differences between the two groups.Propionibacterium was cocultured with HCC cells in vitro.Changes in cell proliferation and migration capacity were evaluated.The expression of NF-κB pathway related proteins in tumor cells was compared.The orthotopic liver implantation model and the subcutaneous xenograft model were constructed.liver tissues and subcutaneous tumors were collected 2 weeks later.RESULTS FISH demonstrated the presence of microorganisms in HCC and normal liver tissues.16S rRNA sequencing revealed an abundance of Lysobacter,Lachnospiraceae,Pseudomonas,and Lactobacillus in HCC tissues.The distribution and abundance of Propionibacterium showed differences between HCC and peritumoral tissues(P<0.05).In vitro studies demonstrated that Propionibacterium and its metabolite propionic acid(PA)inhibited the proliferation and migration of HCC cells(P<0.05).The expression of the proteins in NF-κB signaling pathway also decreased in HCC cells(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Microorganisms in HCC and normal liver tissues displayed significant disparities.The PA-producing bacterium Propionibacterium in HCC exerts an effect on the NF-κB pathway,thereby affecting the biological behavior of HCC.

Investigating intratumour heterogeneity by single-cell sequencing

Intratumour heterogeneity is a longstanding field of focus for both researchers and clinicians. It refers to the diversity amongst cells within the same tumour. Two major hypotheses have attempted to explain the existence of intratumour heterogeneity： （i） the clonal evolution （CE） theory and （ii） the cancer stem cell （CSC） model. CE theory emphasizes the evolutionary biological characteristics of the tumour, underscoring the initiation and progression of the disease. In contrast, the CSC model focuses on stem cell differentiation into distinct functions in order to stabilize the tumour microenvironment. Here we consider single-cell sequencing （SCS） as a newly developed technique for application to the investigation of intratumour heterogeneity and assess its relevance within research and clinical environments. Early detection of rare tumour cells, monitoring of circulating tumour cells （CTCs） and control of the occurrence of drug resistance are imoortant goals in early diagnosis, prognosis prediction and individualized medicine.

Intratumour microbiome of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a high mortality malignancy with almost equal mortality and morbidity rates.Both normal and tumour tissues of the pancreas were previously considered sterile.In recent years,with the development of technologies for highthroughput sequencing,a variety of studies have revealed that pancreatic cancer tissues contain small amounts of bacteria and fungi.The intratumour microbiome is being revealed as an influential contributor to carcinogenesis.The intratumour microbiome has been identified as a crucial factor for pancreatic cancer progression,diagnosis,and treatment,chemotherapy resistance,and immune response.A better understanding of the biology of the intratumour microbiome of pancreatic cancer contributes to the establishment of better early cancer screening and treatment strategies.This review focuses on the possible origins of the intratumour microbiome in pancreatic cancer,the intratumour localization,the interaction with the tumour microenvironment,and strategies for improving the outcome of pancreatic cancer treatment.Thus,this review offers new perspectives for improving the prognosis of pancreatic cancer.