Microbiota and metabolites modulation of cancer stem cells and chemotherapy sensitivity
Cet article passe en revue les connaissances récentes concernant les mécanismes par lesquels le microbiote régule les cellules souches cancéreuses ainsi que leurs niches, examine comment les métabolites microbiens interagissent avec le métabolisme tumoral, analyse le rôle des interactions cellules souches cancéreuses-microbiote-métabolites dans la chimiorésistance puis révèle des stratégies qui ciblent le microbiote et ses métabolites pour inhiber les cellules souches cancéreuses et améliorer la chimiosensibilité tumorale
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) drive tumour initiation, metastasis and therapeutic resistance through metabolic and microenvironmental adaptability. The microbiota critically modulates cancer development and treatment response, with increasing evidence linking commensal microbes and their metabolites to aberrant CSC function. In this review, we summarise the mechanistic roles of microbiota and metabolites (eg, short-chain fatty acids, bile acids) in CSC regulation, including their effects on the CSC niche via stromal cell modulation, extracellular matrix remodelling and soluble factor networks. Given the central roles of CSCs in chemoresistance, we further discuss how microbes and metabolites influence CSC-associated chemotherapy resistance and highlight microbiota-targeting and metabolite-targeting strategies including probiotics, metabolite formulations, antibiotics and nanomedicine to disrupt CSCs and enhance chemosensitivity. In summary, deeper insights into CSC–microbiota–metabolites crosstalk promise novel therapeutic targets to overcome resistance and improve patient outcomes.
Gut , article en libre accès, 2026