A distinct Fusobacterium nucleatum clade dominates the colorectal cancer niche. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38509359/)
These scientists studied a bacterium called Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) that is normally found in the mouth but can also be found in the lower part of the gut in people with colorectal cancer (CRC). They wanted to understand how this bacterium is able to grow and thrive in tumors in the gut.
To do this, the scientists collected samples of this bacterium from the mouths of people without cancer and from tumors of patients with CRC. They then analyzed the genetic information of 135 different strains of the bacterium to see if there were any differences between the strains found in healthy individuals and those found in cancer patients.
The scientists discovered that there were specific genetic factors in a particular subgroup of the bacterium, called Fna C2, that allowed it to colonize and grow in the gut tumors. They also found that when they introduced this specific subgroup of the bacterium into mice, it led to an increase in the number of abnormal growths in the intestines.
By studying samples from human patients with CRC, the scientists confirmed that this specific subgroup of the bacterium, Fna C2, was more common in tumors compared to healthy tissue. They also looked at stool samples from a large number of patients and found that this subgroup was more prevalent in patients with CRC compared to healthy individuals.
Overall, the study showed that a specific subgroup of this bacterium, Fna C2, has genetic traits that allow it to thrive in colorectal cancer tumors, which could help researchers develop new ways to target and treat this type of cancer in the future.
Zepeda-Rivera M., Minot SS., Bouzek H., Wu H., Blanco-Miguez A., Manghi P., Jones DS., LaCourse KD., Wu Y., McMahon EF., Park SN., Lim YK., Kempchinsky AG., Willis AD., Cotton SL., Yost SC., Sicinska E., Kook JK., Dewhirst FE., Segata N., Bullman S., Johnston CD. A distinct Fusobacterium nucleatum clade dominates the colorectal cancer niche. Nature. 2024 Mar 20. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07182-w.