Intratumoral microbiota and their emerging role in the tumor microenvironment.
6 affiliations
- 1Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan, China.
- 2Henan Key Laboratory of Immunology and Targeted Drug, Henan Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan, China.
- 3Xinxiang Engineering Technology Research Center of Immune Checkpoint Drug for Liver-Intestinal Tumors, Henan Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan, China.
- 4These authors contributed equally to this work.
- 5College of Medicine, Henan University, Kaifeng 475001, Henan, China.
- 6Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Molecular Diagnosis and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medical Technology, Henan Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan, China.
Abstract
Intratumoral microbiota, as an important component of the tumor microenvironment, have attracted increasing attention in recent years for their roles in tumor initiation, progression, and therapeutic regulation. Accumulating evidence indicates that low-abundance yet relatively stable microbial communities are present in a variety of solid tumors, exhibiting marked tumor-type specificity and spatial heterogeneity. Current studies suggest that intratumoral microorganisms contribute to tumor progression through multiple mechanisms, including activation of oncogenic signaling pathways, modulation of chronic inflammatory responses, remodeling of the immunosuppressive microenvironment, and regulation of metabolic reprogramming and drug responsiveness. Meanwhile, their bidirectional effects on chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy highlight their potential roles in determining therapeutic sensitivity and the development of resistance. Despite existing challenges such as low microbial biomass, contamination control, and difficulties in functional validation, advances in spatial multi-omics and single-cell technologies are continuously enhancing the potential clinical value of intratumoral microbiota in tumor diagnosis, prognostic assessment, and precision therapy. This review summarizes the sources, colonization mechanisms, biological functions, roles in therapeutic modulation, and clinical applications of intratumoral microbiota, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for future research and clinical translation.
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BibTeX
@article{hui2026intratumoral,
title = {{Intratumoral microbiota and their emerging role in the tumor microenvironment.}},
author = {Xianfeng Hui and Shihuan Ding and Ge Gao and Shuoxiang Gao and Jiaqi Tian and Shuochen Xu and Bingqi Yan and Rujing Zhang and Tiesuo Zhao and Hui Wang},
journal = {Microbiome research reports},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.20517/mrr.2026.18},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42898724},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Intratumoral microbiota and their emerging role in the tumor microenvironment.
AU - Xianfeng Hui
AU - Shihuan Ding
AU - Ge Gao
AU - Shuoxiang Gao
AU - Jiaqi Tian
AU - Shuochen Xu
AU - Bingqi Yan
AU - Rujing Zhang
AU - Tiesuo Zhao
AU - Hui Wang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/22
JO - Microbiome research reports
DO - 10.20517/mrr.2026.18
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42898724
AB - Intratumoral microbiota, as an important component of the tumor microenvironment, have attracted increasing attention in recent years for their roles in tumor initiation, progression, and therapeutic regulation. Accumulating evidence indicates that low-abundance yet relatively stable microbial communities are present in a variety of solid tumors, exhibiting marked tumor-type specificity and spatial heterogeneity. Current studies suggest that intratumoral microorganisms contribute to tumor progression through multiple mechanisms, including activation of oncogenic signaling pathways, modulation of chronic inflammatory responses, remodeling of the immunosuppressive microenvironment, and regulation of metabolic reprogramming and drug responsiveness. Meanwhile, their bidirectional effects on chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy highlight their potential roles in determining therapeutic sensitivity and the development of resistance. Despite existing challenges such as low microbial biomass, contamination control, and difficulties in functional validation, advances in spatial multi-omics and single-cell technologies are continuously enhancing the potential clinical value of intratumoral microbiota in tumor diagnosis, prognostic assessment, and precision therapy. This review summarizes the sources, colonization mechanisms, biological functions, roles in therapeutic modulation, and clinical applications of intratumoral microbiota, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for future research and clinical translation.
SN - 2771-5965
ER -