AUTHOR=Jiang Zongdan , Wang Jun , Shen Ziyang , Zhang Zhenyu , Wang Shukui 

TITLE=Characterization of Esophageal Microbiota in Patients With Esophagitis and Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2021.774330

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2021.774330

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=Microbial imbalances have been well elucidated in esophageal adenocarcinoma, but few studies addressing the microbiota in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and esophagitis (ES). We aimed to explore the associations of esophageal microbiota with these patients. Esophageal biopsy were obtained from healthy control, ES and ESCC patients undergoing upper endoscopy. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was applied to analyze the microbiome. The α and β diversity differences were tested by Tukey test and Partial least squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) respectively. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis was performed to assess taxonomic differences between groups. A total of 68 individuals were enrolled (control = 21, ES=15, ESCC = 32). Microbial diversity was significant different between ESCC patients and healthy controls by Chao1 index, Shannon index and PLS-DA. Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria and Fusobacteria were the five dominant bacterial phyla among three groups. Megamonas, Collinsella, Roseburia and Ruminococcus_2 showed a significantly continuous decreasing trend from Normal to ESCC at the genus level. When compared with control group, decreased Fusobacteria at phylum level and Faecalibacterium, Bacteroides, Curvibacter and Blautia at genus level were detected. ESCC samples also displayed a striking reduction of Bacteroidetes, Faecalibacterium, Bacteroides and Blautia in comparison with ES patients. LEfSe analysis indicated a greater abundance of Streptococcus, Actinobacillus, Peptostreptococcus, Fusobacterium, Prevotella in ESCC groups. Our study suggests a potential association between esophageal microbiome dysbiosis and ESCC and provides insights on a potential screening marker for esophageal cancer.