Lung cancer shapes commensal bacteria via exosome-like nanoparticles

Tumor microenvironment (TME) is a dynamic niche for tumorigenesis and progression. Emerging evidence has shed light on the unusual role of commensal microbiota in the TME across various tumors. Microbiota can have long-time exist in the TME or even in tumor cells without uncontrolled proliferation and fatal infection to tumor cells, and it can interact with tumor cells when they coexist. Specific microbiota can contribute to carcinogenesis by inducing tumor-associated inflammation, producing immunosuppressive factors, and releasing detrimental metabolites. But less is known about how the tumor cells can exert effects and modulate the commensal microbiota. In this study, we found that the tumor tissues of patients with lung adenocarcinoma were enriched with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) relative to the adjacent tissues, and the lung cancer-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (ELNs) can be internalized by S. aureus, the treatment of lung cancer-derived ELNs altered the bacterial morphology, reduced the adhesion ability, biofilm formation and the virulence of S. aureus, the activation of ArlS-ArlR two-component system may be one of the potential mechanisms under the above phenomenon. It is a novel revelation of the crosstalk between tumor cells and the commensal microbiota. (c) 2022 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Automated summary

The tumor microenvironment is a crucial niche for tumorigenesis and progression, and commensal microbiota plays a significant role in this process. While commensal microbiota can affect tumor cells through various mechanisms, the mechanisms by which tumor cells exert influence on commensal microbiota remain unclear.