Cancer immunotherapies harness the power of the immune system to target cancer cells that express tumor-associated antigens. Immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as monoclonal antibodies against inhibitory T cell receptors, i.e., PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4, allow cancer cells that have evaded the immune system to be recognized as non-self by activated T lymphocytes. These therapeutic strategies have had clinical success; however, cancer immunotherapies fail in many patients, and the reasons for these mixed responses are not well understood. Thus, there is significant interest in identifying factors that modulate immune responses and influence the efficacy of immunotherapies. Evolving evidence has shown that one such factor is the constellation of commensal microbes inhabiting the human body, the microbiota.
The human microbiota is comprised of a vastly diverse array of archaea, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and unicellular protozoa that play critical roles in maintaining physiological homeostasis, including influencing the development and function of the peripheral immune system and anti-tumor immunosurveillance. Perturbations in the composition and balance of the microbiota (i.e., dysbiosis) can significantly modulate the immune system and result in pathologic conditions, such as chronic inflammation and cancer. It has emerged that the presence or absence of distinct commensal microbes can have a marked effect on the initiation and progression of cancers as well as host responses to cancer immunotherapies.
A number of well-studied biological pathogens that are known to cause cancer (i.e, oncomicrobes), such as Human Papilloma virus (HPV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), Hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV/HCV) and H. pylori, can significantly influence the balance of the microbiome and have immunomodulatory effects. Despite our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of these microbes, key questions remain regarding the impact of oncomicrobe induced alterations on microbiota:immune interactions and how these interactions impact tumorigenesis, anti-tumor immunosurveillance and responses to immunotherapy. Additionally, much remains to be learned about the consequences of immunotherapy on microbial communities and microbe:immune cell interactions.
Therefore, the scope of this collection to be published in Frontiers in Immunology is to contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms that govern how oncomicrobes influence the microbiota and shape the immune system to affect anti-tumor immunity, cancer immunosurveillance and response to immunotherapies.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to the following:
• Interaction of microbiome and immune cells during and following cancer immunotherapy
• Effects of microbiota dysbiosis on cancers and anti-tumor immune responses
• Influence of oncomicrobial infections on the microbiome
• Immunomodulation in response to oncomicrobial infections
• Impact of oncomicrobes on responses to immunotherapy
• Identification of novel microbiota as biomarkers for immunotherapy responses in microbe-driven cancers
Cancer immunotherapies harness the power of the immune system to target cancer cells that express tumor-associated antigens. Immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as monoclonal antibodies against inhibitory T cell receptors, i.e., PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4, allow cancer cells that have evaded the immune system to be recognized as non-self by activated T lymphocytes. These therapeutic strategies have had clinical success; however, cancer immunotherapies fail in many patients, and the reasons for these mixed responses are not well understood. Thus, there is significant interest in identifying factors that modulate immune responses and influence the efficacy of immunotherapies. Evolving evidence has shown that one such factor is the constellation of commensal microbes inhabiting the human body, the microbiota.
The human microbiota is comprised of a vastly diverse array of archaea, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and unicellular protozoa that play critical roles in maintaining physiological homeostasis, including influencing the development and function of the peripheral immune system and anti-tumor immunosurveillance. Perturbations in the composition and balance of the microbiota (i.e., dysbiosis) can significantly modulate the immune system and result in pathologic conditions, such as chronic inflammation and cancer. It has emerged that the presence or absence of distinct commensal microbes can have a marked effect on the initiation and progression of cancers as well as host responses to cancer immunotherapies.
A number of well-studied biological pathogens that are known to cause cancer (i.e, oncomicrobes), such as Human Papilloma virus (HPV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), Hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV/HCV) and H. pylori, can significantly influence the balance of the microbiome and have immunomodulatory effects. Despite our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of these microbes, key questions remain regarding the impact of oncomicrobe induced alterations on microbiota:immune interactions and how these interactions impact tumorigenesis, anti-tumor immunosurveillance and responses to immunotherapy. Additionally, much remains to be learned about the consequences of immunotherapy on microbial communities and microbe:immune cell interactions.
Therefore, the scope of this collection to be published in Frontiers in Immunology is to contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms that govern how oncomicrobes influence the microbiota and shape the immune system to affect anti-tumor immunity, cancer immunosurveillance and response to immunotherapies.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to the following:
• Interaction of microbiome and immune cells during and following cancer immunotherapy
• Effects of microbiota dysbiosis on cancers and anti-tumor immune responses
• Influence of oncomicrobial infections on the microbiome
• Immunomodulation in response to oncomicrobial infections
• Impact of oncomicrobes on responses to immunotherapy
• Identification of novel microbiota as biomarkers for immunotherapy responses in microbe-driven cancers
