Ciernikova Sona, Sevcikova Aneta, Mego Michal
Department of Genetics, Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava and National Cancer Institute, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2025 Jan 9;14:1529871. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1529871. eCollection 2024.
The microbiome-gut-testis axis has emerged as a significant area of interest in understanding testicular cancer, particularly testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs), which represent the most common malignancy in young men. The interplay between the gut and testicular microbiomes is hypothesized to influence tumorigenesis and reproductive health, underscoring the complex role of microbial ecosystems in disease pathology. The microbiome-gut-testis axis encompasses complex interactions between the gut microbiome, systemic immune modulation, and the local microenvironment of the testis. Dysbiosis in the gut or testicular microbiomes may contribute to altered immune responses, inflammation, and hormonal imbalances, potentially playing a role in the pathogenesis of TGCTs. Concurrently, seminal microbiomes have been linked to variations in sperm quality, fertility potential, and possibly cancer susceptibility, underscoring the need for further evaluation. This review explores the emerging role of the microbiome-gut-testis axis in the context of testicular cancer, highlighting its implications for disease onset, progression, treatment efficacy, and toxicity. Identifying potential microbial biomarkers, followed by microbiota modulation to restore a balanced microbial community, might offer a novel supportive strategy for improving treatment efficacy in refractory TGCT patients while reducing chemotherapy-induced toxicity. We suggest a better understanding of the association between dysregulated microbial environments and TGCTs emphasizes potential pathways by which the gut microbiome might influence testicular cancer.
微生物群-肠道-睾丸轴已成为了解睾丸癌，特别是睾丸生殖细胞肿瘤（TGCT）的一个重要研究领域，TGCT是年轻男性中最常见的恶性肿瘤。肠道微生物群和睾丸微生物群之间的相互作用被认为会影响肿瘤发生和生殖健康，这凸显了微生物生态系统在疾病病理中的复杂作用。微生物群-肠道-睾丸轴包括肠道微生物群、全身免疫调节和睾丸局部微环境之间的复杂相互作用。肠道或睾丸微生物群的生态失调可能导致免疫反应改变、炎症和激素失衡，这可能在TGCT的发病机制中起作用。同时，精液微生物群与精子质量、生育潜力以及可能的癌症易感性变化有关，这凸显了进一步评估的必要性。本综述探讨了微生物群-肠道-睾丸轴在睾丸癌背景下的新作用，强调了其对疾病发生、进展、治疗效果和毒性的影响。识别潜在的微生物生物标志物，随后调节微生物群以恢复平衡的微生物群落，可能为提高难治性TGCT患者的治疗效果同时降低化疗诱导的毒性提供一种新的支持策略。我们认为，更好地理解微生物环境失调与TGCT之间的关联，将凸显肠道微生物群可能影响睾丸癌的潜在途径。
