An emerging strategy: probiotics enhance the effectiveness of tumor immunotherapy via mediating the gut microbiome

ABSTRACT

The occurrence and progression of tumors are often accompanied by disruptions in the gut microbiota. Inversely, the impact of the gut microbiota on the initiation and progression of cancer is becoming increasingly evident, influencing the tumor microenvironment (TME) for both local and distant tumors. Moreover, it is even suggested to play a significant role in the process of tumor immunotherapy, contributing to high specificity in therapeutic outcomes and long-term effectiveness across various cancer types. Probiotics, with their generally positive influence on the gut microbiota, may serve as effective agents in synergizing cancer immunotherapy. They play a crucial role in activating the immune system to inhibit tumor growth. In summary, this comprehensive review aims to provide valuable insights into the dynamic interactions between probiotics, gut microbiota, and cancer. Furthermore, we highlight recent advances and mechanisms in using probiotics to improve the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy. By understanding these complex relationships, we may unlock innovative approaches for cancer diagnosis and treatment while optimizing the effects of immunotherapy.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Probiotics
• tumor immunotherapy
• gut microbiome
• tumor microenvironment
• tumor microbiome

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [32222066] and the Hainan Province Science and Technology Special Fund under Grant [GHYF2023001].

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Credit authorship contribution statement

Shuaiming Jiang: Conceptualization, Writing – original & editing, Visualization. Wenyao Ma: Writing – original & editing, Visualization. Chenchen Ma: Data curation, Investigation, Visualization. Zeng Zhang: Investigation, Visualization. Wanli Zhang: Conceptualization, Writing – review & editing. Jiachao Zhang: Conceptualization, Writing – review & editing, Funding acquisition.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [32222066] and the Hainan Province Science and Technology Special Fund under Grant [GHYF2023001].