SUMMARY Bacteria, such as Fusobacterium nucleatum, are present in the tumor microenvironment. However, the immunological consequences of intra-tumoral bacteria remain unclear. Here, we have shown that natural killer (NK) cell killing of various tumors is inhibited in the presence of various F. nucleatum strains. Our data support that this F. nucleatum-mediated inhibition is mediated by human, but not by mouse TIGIT, an inhibitory receptor present on all human NK cells and on various T cells. Using a library of F. nucleatum mutants, we found that the Fap2 protein of F. nucleatum directly interacted with TIGIT, leading to the inhibition of NK cell cytotoxicity. We have further demonstrated that tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes expressed TIGIT and that T cell activities were also inhibited by F. nucleatum via Fap2. Our results identify a bacterium-dependent, tumor-immune evasion mechanism in which tumors exploit the Fap2 protein of F. nucleatum to inhibit immune cell activity via TIGIT.

SUMMARY Fusobacterium nucleatum is associated with colorectal cancer and promotes colonic tumor formation in preclinical models. However, fusobacteria are core members of the human oral microbiome and less prevalent in the healthy gut, raising questions about how fusobacteria localize to CRC. We identify a host polysaccharide and fusobacterial lectin that explicates fusobacteria abundance in CRC. Gal-Gal-NAc, which is overexpressed in CRC, is recognized by fusobacterial Fap2, which functions as a Gal-Gal-NAc lectin. F. nucleatum binding to clinical adenocarcinomas correlates with Gal-GalNAc expression and is reduced upon O-glycanase treatment. Clinical fusobacteria strains naturally lacking Fap2 or inactivated Fap2 mutants show reduced binding to Gal-GalNAc-expressing CRC cells and established CRCs in mice. Additionally, intravenously injected F. nucleatum localizes to mouse tumor tissues in a Fap2-dependent manner, suggesting that fusobacteria use a hematogenous route to reach colon adenocarcinomas. Thus, targeting F. nucleatum Fap2 or host epithelial Gal-GalNAc may reduce fusobacteria potentiation of CRC.

Fusobacterium nucleatum is an oral anaerobe recently found to be prevalent in human colorectal cancer (CRC) where it is associated with poor treatment outcome. In mice, hematogenous F. nucleatum can colonize CRC tissue using its lectin Fap2, which attaches to tumordisplayed Gal-GalNAc. Here, we show that Gal-GalNAc levels increase as human breast cancer progresses, and that occurrence of F. nucleatum gDNA in breast cancer samples correlates with high Gal-GalNAc levels. We demonstrate Fap2-dependent binding of the bacterium to breast cancer samples, which is inhibited by GalNAc. Intravascularly inoculated Fap2-expressing F. nucleatum ATCC 23726 specifically colonize mice mammary tumors, whereas Fap2-deficient bacteria are impaired in tumor colonization. Inoculation with F. nucleatum suppresses accumulation of tumor infiltrating T cells and promotes tumor growth and metastatic progression, the latter two of which can be counteracted by antibiotic treatment. Thus, targeting F. nucleatum or Fap2 might be beneficial during treatment of breast cancer.

Fusobacterium nucleatum is a common oral anaerobe involved in periodontitis that is known to translocate and cause intrauterine infections. In the oral environment, F. nucleatum adheres to a large diversity of species, facilitating their colonization and creating biological bridges that stabilize the multispecies dental biofilm. Many of these interactions (called coadherences or coaggregations) are galactose sensitive. Galactose-sensitive interactions are also involved in the binding of F. nucleatum to host cells. Hemagglutination of some F. nucleatum strains is also galactose sensitive, suggesting that a single galactose-sensitive adhesin might mediate the interaction of fusobacteria with many partners and targets. In order to identify the fusobacterial galactose-sensitive adhesin, a system for transposon mutagenesis in fusobacteria was created. The mutant library was screened for hemagglutination deficiency, and three clones were isolated. All three clones were found to harbor the transposon in the gene coding for the Fap2 outer membrane autotransporter. The three fap2 mutants failed to show galactose-inhibitable coaggregation with Porphyromonas gingivalis and were defective in cell binding. A fap2 mutant also showed a 2-log reduction in murine placental colonization compared to that of the wild type. Our results suggest that Fap2 is a galactose-sensitive hemagglutinin and adhesin that is likely to play a role in the virulence of fusobacteria.

Fusobacterium nucleatum is a common oral bacterium that is enriched in colorectal adenomas and adenocarcinomas (CRC). In humans, high fusobacterial CRC abundance is associated with chemoresistance and poor prognosis. In animal models, fusobacteria accelerate CRC progression. Targeting F. nucleatum may reduce fusobacteria cancer progression and therefore determining the origin of CRC F. nucleatum and the route by which it reaches colon tumors is of biologic and therapeutic importance. Arbitrarily primed PCR performed previously on matched same-patients CRC and saliva F. nucleatum isolates, suggested that CRC F. nucleatum may originate from the oral cavity. However, the origin of CRC fusobacteria as well as the route of their arrival to the tumor have not been well-established. Herein, we performed and analyzed whole genome sequencing of paired, same-patient oral, and CRC F. nucleatum isolates and confirmed that CRC-fusobacteria originate from the oral microbial reservoir. Oral fusobacteria may translocate to CRC by descending via the digestive tract or using the hematogenous route during frequent transient bacteremia caused by chewing, daily hygiene activities, or dental procedures. Using the orthotropic CT26 mouse model we previously showed that IV injected F. nucleatum colonize CRC. Here, we compared CRC colonization by gavage vs. intravenous inoculated F. nucleatum in the MC38 and CT26 mouse orthotropic CRC models. Under the tested conditions, hematogenous fusobacteria were more successful in CRC colonization than gavaged ones. Our results therefore provide evidence that the hematogenous route may be the preferred way by which oral fusobacteria reach colon tumors.

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are a common cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in humans. While the importance of natural killer (NK) cells in innate immune protection against tumors and viral infections is well documented, their role in defense against bacterial infections is still emerging, and their involvement in UPEC-mediated UTI is practically unknown. Using a systematic mutagenesis approach, we found that UPEC adheres to NK cells primarily via its type I fimbriae and employs its hemolysinA toxin to kill NK cells. In the absence of hemolysinA, NK cells directly respond to the bacteria and secrete the cytokine TNF-α, which results in decreased bacterial numbers in vitro and reduction of bacterial burden in the infected bladders. Thus, NK cells control UPEC via TNF-α production, which UPEC counteracts by hemolysinA-mediated killing of NK cells, representing a previously unrecognized host defense and microbial counterattack mechanism in the context of UTI.

Colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRC) is a common tumor with high mortality rates. Interestingly, CRC was found to be colonized by the oral anaerobic bacteria Fusobacterium nucleatum, which accelerates tumor progression and enables immune evasion. The CRC-specific colonization by fusobacteria is mediated through the recognition of tumor displayed Gal-GalNAc moieties by the fusobacterial Fap2 Gal-GalNAc lectin. Here, we show high Gal-GalNAc levels in additional adenocarcinomas including those found in the stomach, prostate, ovary, colon, uterus, pancreas, breast, lung, and esophagus. This observation coincides with recent reports that found fusobacterial DNA in some of these tumors. Given the tumorigenic role of fusobacteria and its immune evasion properties, we suggest that fusobacterial elimination might improve treatment outcome of the above tumors. Furthermore, as fusobacteria appears to specifically home-in to Gal-GalNAc—displaying tumors, it might be engineered as a platform for treating CRC and the above common, lethal, adenocarcinomas.

No abstract