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Microbiome in Cancer: From Pathogenesis to Therapeutic Innovation
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Microbiome in Cancer: From Pathogenesis to Therapeutic Innovation

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 May 2026) | Viewed by 2388

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Francesca Benedetti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
Interests: microbiota; cancer biology; p53; DnaK
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Davide Zella

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
Interests: human microbiota; cancer biology; p53; DNA repair; DnaK; cellular transformation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Recent studies highlight the critical role of the microbiome in modulating the efficacy and resistance of anticancer therapies. As cancer remains a significant global health burden, understanding the molecular interactions between the microbiome and anticancer drugs could unveil novel strategies to overcome drug resistance. This Special Issue titled “Molecular Studies on the Impact of Microbiome on Anticancer Drug Resistance” aims to gather original research and comprehensive reviews that delve into these complex interactions. We invite contributions that explore how microbiome composition, metabolic pathways, and microbial-derived molecules affect cancer cell responses to therapies. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the role of microbial metabolites, immune modulation by microbiota, microbiome-influenced drug metabolism, and the identification of microbiome-based biomarkers for therapy resistance.

This issue also welcomes studies examining how targeted manipulation of the microbiome composition and its metabolites might improve therapeutic outcomes or reduce side effects. By compiling cutting-edge research, we hope this Special Issue will deepen the understanding of microbiome influences on drug resistance and inspire novel approaches to enhance cancer treatment efficacy.

Dr. Francesca Benedetti
Dr. Davide Zella
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • microbiome
  • cancer
  • anticancer drugs
  • chemoresistance
  • immune modulation

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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25 pages, 5204 KB  
Article
Quantification of Ectopic Fusobacterium Colonisation in Colorectal Cancer Using a Newly Developed nusG-Directed PCR Method
by Janne Becker, Anna Mertens, Meikel Duncan Rieger, Georg Conrads and Sama Rezasoltani
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(11), 4865; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27114865 - 28 May 2026
Viewed by 212
Abstract
The Fusobacterium nucleatum complex, which comprises oral lineage 1 (L1) strains, is strongly associated with colorectal cancer (CRC). NusG (N-utilisation substance G) is a transcription elongation factor that is universally conserved. This study aimed to develop and validate a novel nusG-directed polymerase [...] Read more.
The Fusobacterium nucleatum complex, which comprises oral lineage 1 (L1) strains, is strongly associated with colorectal cancer (CRC). NusG (N-utilisation substance G) is a transcription elongation factor that is universally conserved. This study aimed to develop and validate a novel nusG-directed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay to specifically and sensitively detect ectopic Fusobacterium L1 colonisation in clinical CRC patient samples. Four L1-specific primer pairs targeting the nusG gene were designed using MEGA11 software (Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis, version 11.0.13) and successfully employed in 40 stool samples from CRC patients and healthy controls (HC). Additionally, five species-specific primer pairs were designed for the L1 species F. animalis clades 1 and 2, F. nucleatum, F. polymorphum, and F. vincentii, and were successfully applied to stool and saliva samples. Their specificity was verified via Sanger sequencing. Two L1-specific primer pairs (NusG5-F/NusG6-R and NusG2a-F/NusG5-R) demonstrated robust performance in our cohort, showing statistical significance (padj < 0.05) and a large effect size (|r| ≥ 0.5) in the difference in Ct values and absolute cell counts between CRC patients and the HC group. These primer pairs also exhibited promising preliminary diagnostic potential, with respective area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.909 and 0.883. However, Fusobacterium L1 abundance in saliva samples did not differ significantly between groups, indicating that definitive conclusions cannot be drawn due to the limited power of the salivary sub-cohort. The data indicates that nusG-based PCR primers could be used as reliable, non-invasive biomarkers as a complementary tool for early CRC diagnostics. While potentially applicable in the context of other Fusobacterium-implicated diseases, further validation in larger, ethnically diverse cohorts remains essential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiome in Cancer: From Pathogenesis to Therapeutic Innovation)
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Review

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24 pages, 448 KB  
Review
Emerging Insights into the Role of the Microbiome in Brain Gliomas: A Systematic Review of Recent Evidence
by Piotr Dubiński, Martyna Odzimek-Rajska, Sebastian Podlewski and Waldemar Brola
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(1), 444; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27010444 - 31 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1608
Abstract
Gliomas, particularly glioblastoma multiforme, remain among the most lethal brain tumours despite multimodal therapy. Increasing evidence indicates that systemic factors, including the gut microbiota, may influence glioma progression through immune, metabolic, and neurochemical pathways. We conducted a comprehensive systematic review in accordance with [...] Read more.
Gliomas, particularly glioblastoma multiforme, remain among the most lethal brain tumours despite multimodal therapy. Increasing evidence indicates that systemic factors, including the gut microbiota, may influence glioma progression through immune, metabolic, and neurochemical pathways. We conducted a comprehensive systematic review in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines to synthesize recent evidence on the role of gut and intratumoral microbiota in glioma biology. Peer-reviewed studies published within the last five years were identified through structured searches of major biomedical databases, and original studies using human cohorts, animal models, or Mendelian randomization approaches were included. The 17 studies met the eligibility criteria. Glioma was consistently associated with gut dysbiosis characterized by a reduced Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes ratio and enrichment of Verrucomicrobia, particularly Akkermansia, alongside decreased short-chain fatty acids and altered neurotransmitter profiles, contributing to neuroinflammation, immune suppression, and blood–brain barrier dysfunction. Antigenic mimicry by Bacteroidetes-derived peptides may impair antitumour T-cell responses, while intratumoral Fusobacteriota and Proteobacteria appear to promote angiogenesis and pro-inflammatory chemokine expression. In contrast, SCFA-producing taxa such as Ruminococcaceae and probiotic genera including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium show protective associations. Evidence is limited by small cohorts and methodological heterogeneity. Standardized humanized models and integrated multi-omics approaches are required to clarify causal mechanisms and support microbiome-targeted therapies in glioma. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiome in Cancer: From Pathogenesis to Therapeutic Innovation)
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