In caller years, nan regulatory domiciled of nan gut microbiota successful nan initiation and progression of colorectal crab (CRC) has attracted increasing attention. Among nan cardinal microbial contributors, Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) has been identified arsenic a captious pathogenic facet successful CRC. As an oral anaerobic commensal, Fn is seldom recovered successful nan little gastrointestinal tract of patient individuals. However, nether pathological conditions, it tin ectopically colonize nan gastrointestinal tract. Once enriched successful nan colorectal environment, mounting grounds suggests that Fn is progressive successful aggregate aspects of CRC pathogenesis, including initiation, progression, metastasis, and guidance to accepted therapies specified arsenic chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy.
A caller reappraisal by Wei Wei and Diwei Zheng's squad astatine nan Institute of Process Engineering systematically outlines nan pathogenic mechanisms of Fn successful CRC and summarizes some existent and emerging strategies for its therapeutic targeting. Furthermore, nan authors propose imaginable approaches to flooded existing challenges successful Fn modulation, aiming to facilitate much effective therapeutic interventions and amended objective outcomes.
Focusing connected nan dual themes of "pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic strategies," this reappraisal first specifications nan multifaceted roles of Fn successful CRC progression. It explores really Fn contributes to illness done processes specified arsenic microbial colonization, activation of oncogenic signaling pathways, and modulation of nan immune microenvironment. Key virulence factors—such arsenic FadA, Fap2, and RadD—are highlighted for their roles successful tumor improvement and guidance to treatment. Given its tumor-promoting effects, eliminating Fn is considered a promising strategy for improving CRC outcomes. The reappraisal systematically discusses various therapeutic approaches targeting Fn, includingsmall-molecule inhibitors (such arsenic antibiotics and earthy extracts), nanomedicines (such arsenic inorganic nanoparticles and integrated polymers) and biopharmaceuticals (such arsenic antimicrobial peptides and phages). While these approaches person demonstrated imaginable successful preclinical studies, they still look awesome challenges, including constricted specificity, systemic toxicity, and disruption of microbial homeostasis.
As our knowing of Fn's pathogenic mechanisms deepens, highly circumstantial and low-toxicity interventions are expected to emerge, driving CRC curen toward greater precision, efficiency, and personalization. This reappraisal outlines respective promising early directions:
· Subspecies-targeted interventions: The therapeutic targeting of Fn subspecies remains underexplored. Future strategies whitethorn attraction connected ascendant strains specified arsenic Fna and their circumstantial virulence factors to alteration personalized treatment.
· Intracellular clearance: Since Fn tin past and replicate wrong tumor and immune cells, nan improvement of strategies tin of eliminating intracellular Fn is important to overcoming its immune evasion and persistence.
· Vaccine development: Vaccines correspond a powerful instrumentality for circumstantial immune protection. Targeting Fn-specific virulence factors aliases host-interacting receptors could alteration precise clearance. However, early activity must reside nan optimization of antigen action and adjuvant combinations to heighten immunogenicity and efficacy.
Collectively, these emerging strategies clasp nan imaginable to flooded existent limitations and service arsenic valuable references for processing microbe-targeted therapies successful CRC and different microbiota-associated cancers.
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Journal reference:
Lu, J., et al. (2025). Fusobacterium nucleatum in Colorectal Cancer: Ally Mechanism and Targeted Therapy Strategies. Research. doi.org/10.34133/research.0640.