Impact of intratumoral microbiome on tumor immunity and prognosis in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Background: Recent evidence suggests that the presence of microbiome within human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tissue potentially influences cancer progression and prognosis. However, the significance of tumor-resident microbiome remains unclear. We aimed to elucidate the impact of intratumoral bacteria on the pathophysiology and prognosis of human PDAC.

Methods: The presence of intratumoral bacteria was assessed in 162 surgically resected PDACs using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and in situ hybridization (ISH) targeting 16S rRNA. The intratumoral microbiome was explored by 16S metagenome sequencing using DNA extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues. The profile of intratumoral bacteria was compared with clinical information, pathological findings including tumor-infiltrating T cells, tumor-associated macrophage, fibrosis, and alterations in four main driver genes (KRAS, TP53, CDKN2A/p16, SMAD4) in tumor genomes.

Results: The presence of intratumoral bacteria was confirmed in 52 tumors (32%) using both qPCR and ISH. The 16S metagenome sequencing revealed characteristic bacterial profiles within these tumors, including phyla such as Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. Comparison of bacterial profiles between cases with good and poor prognosis revealed a significant positive correlation between a shorter survival time and the presence of anaerobic bacteria such as Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, and Peptoniphilus. The abundance of these bacteria was correlated with a decrease in the number of tumor-infiltrating T cells positive for CD4, CD8, and CD45RO.

Conclusions: Intratumoral infection of anaerobic bacteria such as Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, and Peptoniphilus is correlated with the suppressed anti-PDAC immunity and poor prognosis.