Whole transcriptome sequencing reveals characteristics of cancer microbiome in Korean patients with GI tract cancer: Fusobacterium nucleatum as a therapeutic target

Remarkable progress occurred over the past two decades in identifying microbiomes affecting the human body in numerous ways. The microbiome is linked to gastrointestinal (GI) tract cancer. We sought a common microbiome in GI tract cancers and how the microbiome is related to cancer. We selected Korean patients with GI tract cancer for ethnic consistency. Fusobacterium nucleatum is an enriched bacteria in all cancer tissues. F. nucleatum is a gram-negative obligate anaerobe promoting colorectal cancer. Through GSEA and DEG analyses, we identified a G2M checkpoint pathway upregulated in the F. nucleatum high group. We tested effects of F. nucleatum on G2M checkpoint pathway genes and cell viability with MC 38 cell lines. F. nucleatum upregulated expression of G2M checkpoint pathway genes and cell proliferation of MC 38 cells. F. nucleatum facilitated cancer use of G2M checkpoint pathways and F. nucleatum could be a therapeutic target in Korean GI tract cancer