Combined tumor-associated microbiome and immune gene expression profiling predict response to neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer.

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_112E39806AFE
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Combined tumor-associated microbiome and immune gene expression profiling predict response to neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer.
Journal
Oncoimmunology
Author(s)
Roesel R., Strati F., Basso C., Epistolio S., Spina P., Djordjevic J., Sorrenti E., Villa M., Cianfarani A., Mongelli F., Galafassi J., Popeskou S.G., Facciotti F., Caprera C., Melle F., Majno-Hurst P.E., Franzetti-Pellanda A., De Dosso S., Bonfiglio F., Frattini M., Christoforidis D., Iezzi G.
ISSN
2162-402X (Electronic)
ISSN-L
2162-4011
Publication state
Published
Issued date
12/2025
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
14
Number
1
Pages
2465015
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
Locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) is treated with neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy (nCRT) followed by surgery. A minority of patients show complete response (CR) to nCRT and may avoid surgery and its functional consequences. Instead, most patients show non-complete response (non-CR) and may benefit from additional treatments to increase CR rates. Reliable predictive markers are lacking. Aim of this study was to identify novel signatures predicting nCRT responsiveness. We performed a combined analysis of tumor-associated microbiome and immune gene expression profiling of diagnostic biopsies from 70 patients undergoing nCRT followed by rectal resection, including 16 with CR and 54 with non-CR. Findings were validated by an independent cohort of 49 patients, including 7 with CR and 42 with non-CR. Intratumoral microbiota significantly differed between CR and non-CR groups at genus and species level. Colonization by bacterial species of Ruminococcus genera was consistently associated with CR, whereas abundance of Fusobacterium, Porhpyromonas, and Oscillibacter species predicted non-CR. Immune gene profiling revealed a panel of 59 differentially expressed genes and significant upregulation of IFN-gamma and -alpha response in patients with CR. Integrated microbiome and immune gene profiling analysis unraveled clustering of microbial taxa with each other and with immune cell-related genes and allowed the identification of a combined signature correctly identifying non-CRS in both cohorts. Thus, combined intratumoral microbiome-immune profiling improves the prediction of response to nCRT. Correct identification of unresponsive patients and of bacteria promoting responsiveness might lead to innovative therapeutic approaches based on gut microbiota pre-conditioning to increase nCRT effectiveness in LARC.
Keywords
Humans, Rectal Neoplasms/therapy, Rectal Neoplasms/immunology, Rectal Neoplasms/genetics, Neoadjuvant Therapy/methods, Male, Female, Middle Aged, Gene Expression Profiling, Aged, Adult, Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Microbiota, Treatment Outcome, Immune cell gene profiling, LARC, intratumoral microbiota, nCRT, predictive signature
Pubmed
Open Access
Yes
Create date
28/02/2025 16:06
Last modification date
01/03/2025 8:33
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