Matson Vyara, Fessler Jessica, Bao Riyue, Chongsuwat Tara, Zha Yuanyuan, Alegre Maria-Luisa, Luke Jason J, Gajewski Thomas F
Department of Pathology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
Center for Research Informatics, University of Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
Science. 2018 Jan 5;359(6371):104-108. doi: 10.1126/science.aao3290.
Anti-PD-1-based immunotherapy has had a major impact on cancer treatment but has only benefited a subset of patients. Among the variables that could contribute to interpatient heterogeneity is differential composition of the patients' microbiome, which has been shown to affect antitumor immunity and immunotherapy efficacy in preclinical mouse models. We analyzed baseline stool samples from metastatic melanoma patients before immunotherapy treatment, through an integration of 16 ribosomal RNA gene sequencing, metagenomic shotgun sequencing, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction for selected bacteria. A significant association was observed between commensal microbial composition and clinical response. Bacterial species more abundant in responders included , , and Reconstitution of germ-free mice with fecal material from responding patients could lead to improved tumor control, augmented T cell responses, and greater efficacy of anti-PD-L1 therapy. Our results suggest that the commensal microbiome may have a mechanistic impact on antitumor immunity in human cancer patients.
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