Kang YB, Cai Y. Faecal microbiota transplantation enhances efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors therapy against cancer. World J Gastroenterol 2021; 27(32): 5362-5375 [PMID: 34539138 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v27.i32.5362]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Yong-Bo Kang, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, Zhongdu Campus, Yuci District, Jinzhong 030600, Shanxi Province, China. 657151276@qq.com
Research Domain of This Article
Microbiology
Article-Type of This Article
Minireviews
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 28, 2021; 27(32): 5362-5375 Published online Aug 28, 2021. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v27.i32.5362
Faecal microbiota transplantation enhances efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors therapy against cancer
Yong-Bo Kang, Yue Cai
Yong-Bo Kang, Yue Cai, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, Jinzhong 030600, Shanxi Province, China
Author contributions: Kang YB collected the data and wrote most of the manuscript with help from Cai Y; Kang YB and Cai Y contributed equally to this study.
Supported byScience Research Start-up Fund for Doctor of Shanxi Medical University, No. XD1807; Science Research Start-up Fund for Doctor of Shanxi Province, No. SD1807; Scientific and Technological Innovation Programs of Higher Education Institutions in Shanxi, No. 2019L0425; and Shanxi Province Science Foundation for Youths, No. 201901D211314.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors report no conflicts of interest relevant to this manuscript.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Yong-Bo Kang, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, Zhongdu Campus, Yuci District, Jinzhong 030600, Shanxi Province, China. 657151276@qq.com
Received: March 2, 2021 Peer-review started: March 2, 2021 First decision: June 3, 2021 Revised: July 3, 2021 Accepted: July 12, 2021 Article in press: July 12, 2021 Published online: August 28, 2021
Abstract
Even though immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are effective on multiple cancer types, there are still many non-responding patients. A possible factor put forward that may influence the efficacy of ICIs is the gut microbiota. Additionally, faecal microbiota transplantation may enhance efficacy of ICIs. Nevertheless, the data available in this field are insufficient, and relevant scientific work has just commenced. As a result, the current work reviewed the latest research on the association of gut microbiota with ICI treatments based on anti-programmed cell death protein 1 antibody and anti- cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 antibody and explored the therapeutic potential of faecal microbiota transplantation in combination with ICI therapy in the future.
Core Tip: Gut microbiota composition is closely associated with the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Specific species among the intestinal commensal bacteria may play a key role in the efficacy of ICIs against cancer. Faecal microbiota transplantation may enhance efficacy of ICIs.
