They find the key link in patients’ recovery
A recent collaborative study has revealed how certain metabolites improve communication between gut microbes and human cells, speeding up intestinal recovery after chemotherapy. The study, published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, opens up new avenues for optimizing cancer treatment, giving patients new hope.
Scientists from the Luxembourg Institute of Public Health, together with leading researchers from the VIB-Ghent University in Belgium, the University of Edinburgh in the UK and the University of Washington School of Medicine in the US, have identified How interactions between gut bacteria and mammalian cells may complicate gut repair after chemotherapy. This discovery opens up new possibilities for mitigating serious gastrointestinal side effects associated with cancer treatment.
Although chemotherapy is a powerful tool in the fight against cancer, Its side effects on the digestive system are significant.affecting up to 80 percent of patients. These effects include nausea, diarrhea, and painful inflammation, which are often linked to an imbalance of gut bacteria, known as dysbiosis. Until now, it was unclear whether this bacterial imbalance was simply a side effect of chemotherapy or a direct cause of gut damage.
Understanding Relationships
In this context, an international research team, in collaboration with Mahesh Desai, head of the Nutrition, Microbiome and Immunity Group at the Luxembourg Institute of Health, identified the key mechanism in the interaction between chemotherapy and the gut microbiome. Led by CJ Anderson of the University of Edinburgh and Cody Ravichandran of the University of Washington School of Medicine and Ghent University, the researchers used cutting-edge techniques to analyze both bacterial genes and the effects of drugs on intestinal cells.
A significant achievement was that the researchers discovered signaling axis between intestinal epithelial cell death and Enterobacteriaceae bacteria which exacerbates dysbiosis in patients undergoing chemotherapy. The data show that chemotherapy-induced epithelial cell apoptosis and the purine-containing metabolites released by these dying cells cause transcriptional reorganization in Enterobacteriaceae. This change includes changes in bacterial respiration and the promotion of their proliferation in a purine-recycling-dependent manner, which delays intestinal tract recovery. “Our results suggest that intestinal cell death during chemotherapy releases substances that promote the growth of harmful bacteria, which delays recovery,” Anderson said.
Reverse imbalance
However, the study also revealed an important finding: preventing gut cell death or controlling harmful bacteria may help reverse microbial imbalances and speed up patient recovery. These findings suggest that treatments aimed at maintaining a healthy balance of the gut microbiome may be key to mitigating the gastrointestinal side effects of chemotherapy, opening up new avenues to improve patients’ quality of life during cancer treatment. “Understanding how dying cells and bacteria interact in the gut opens up new avenues for treatments that could improve quality of life for cancer patients,” Desai explained.
It is essential to inhibit epithelial cell death or limit Enterobacteriaceae. at the homeostatic level Not only does it reverse dysbiosis, but it also improves gut repair. These results suggest that supportive care that maintains Enterobacteriaceae levels within homeostatic limits may be key to treating gut disease in patients receiving chemotherapy. As such, Ravichandran emphasized that “the scale and scope of this work would not have been possible without bringing together such a complementary set of knowledge from around the world.”
These findings not only advance our understanding of gut health, but also point to potential new treatments for chemotherapy-induced digestive problems. The study shows that strategies to maintain gut microbiome balance may provide an innovative approach to reducing gastrointestinal side effects in cancer patients.
As cancer treatments become more effective, the need for Maintaining gut health is becoming a critical factor. The findings of this study on the interactions between human cells and gut bacteria could pave the way for innovative treatments, offering new hope to cancer patients worldwide. These advances highlight the importance of a holistic approach to cancer treatment, where maintaining a balanced microbiome may be key to improving quality of life during and after chemotherapy.
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