The Role of Gut Microbiota in Lung Cancer: From Carcinogenesis to Immunotherapy

Abstract

The influence of microbiota on host health and disease has attracted adequate attention, and gut microbiota components and microbiota-derived metabolites affect host immune homeostasis locally and systematically. Some studies have found that gut dysbiosis, disturbance of the structure and function of the gut microbiome, disrupts pulmonary immune homeostasis, thus leading to increased disease susceptibility; the gut-lung axis is the primary cross-talk for this communication. Gut dysbiosis is involved in carcinogenesis and the progression of lung cancer through genotoxicity, systemic inflammation, and defective immunosurveillance. In addition, the gut microbiome harbors the potential to be a novel biomarker for predicting sensitivity and adverse reactions to immunotherapy in patients with lung cancer. Probiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) can enhance the efficacy and depress the toxicity of immune checkpoint inhibitors by regulating the gut microbiota. Although current studies have found that gut microbiota closely participates in the development and immunotherapy of lung cancer, the mechanisms require further investigation. Therefore, this review aims to discuss the underlying mechanisms of gut microbiota influencing carcinogenesis and immunotherapy in lung cancer and to provide new strategies for governing gut microbiota to enhance the prevention and treatment of lung cancer.

The Beneficial Role of Probiotic Lactobacillus in Respiratory Diseases

“…In recent years, immunotherapy has sparked a new surge in tumor treatment. Although immune check inhibitors (ICIs) such as anti-PD-1/PD-L1 and anti-CTLA 4 antibodies has become the first-line clinical treatment for tumors, the application of ICIs increases T-cell activity and removes the “braking” of the immune system, and these drugs are likely been associated with immune-related adverse events, especially when used in combination ( 109 ). Therefore, the search for natural immunobiotics with immunomodulatory properties to assist in the treatment of cancer patients may be a direction.…”

Unlocking the Potential of the Human Microbiome for Identifying Disease Diagnostic Biomarkers

“…Coronaviruses [206][207][208] Depression [209,210] Diabetes [211,212] Diarrheal Diseases [213][214][215] Epilepsy [216,217] Fibromyalgia Syndrome [218,219] Fungal Infections [220] Headache Disorders [221] HIV and AIDS [222,223] Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis) [224,225] Irritable Bowel Syndrome [226,227] Lung Cancer [228,229] Melanoma [230,231] Metabolic Syndrome [232,233] Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Infections [234,235] Multiple Sclerosis [236,237] Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome [238,239] Neurologic Cancer [240,241] Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease [242,243] Obesity [244,245] Pain [246,247] Pancreatic Cancer [248,249] Parkinson's Disease [250,…”

Predictive and Prognostic Roles of Gut Microbial Variation in Liver Transplant

“…For instance, variations in the gut microbiome can influence PD-L1, which regulates T cell response to tumor cells ( 56 ). Translocation of infectious agents, including opportunistic pathogens from the dysbiotic gut microbiome are implicated in the development of de novo solid organ malignancies ( 57 ). However, the specifics and mechanisms by which these microbiome-mediated malignancies occur is not clear due to limited studies.…”