DOI: 10.1126/science.1240537 ISSN:

The Intestinal Microbiota Modulates the Anticancer Immune Effects of Cyclophosphamide

Sophie Viaud, Fabiana Saccheri, Grégoire Mignot, Takahiro Yamazaki, Romain Daillère, Dalil Hannani, David P. Enot, Christina Pfirschke, Camilla Engblom, Mikael J. Pittet, Andreas Schlitzer, Florent Ginhoux, Lionel Apetoh, Elisabeth Chachaty, Paul-Louis Woerther, Gérard Eberl, Marion Bérard, Chantal Ecobichon, Dominique Clermont, Chantal Bizet, Valérie Gaboriau-Routhiau, Nadine Cerf-Bensussan, Paule Opolon, Nadia Yessaad, Eric Vivier, Bernhard Ryffel, Charles O. Elson, Joël Doré, Guido Kroemer, Patricia Lepage, Ivo Gomperts Boneca, François Ghiringhelli, Laurence Zitvogel
  • Multidisciplinary
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The Microbiota Makes for Good Therapy

The gut microbiota has been implicated in the development of some cancers, such as colorectal cancer, but—given the important role our intestinal habitants play in metabolism—they may also modulate the efficacy of certain cancer therapeutics. Iida et al. (p. 967 ) evaluated the impact of the microbiota on the efficacy of an immunotherapy [CpG (the cytosine, guanosine, phosphodiester link) oligonucleotides] and oxaliplatin, a platinum compound used as a chemotherapeutic. Both therapies were reduced in efficacy in tumor-bearing mice that lacked microbiota, with the microbiota important for activating the innate immune response against the tumors. Viaud et al. (p. 971 ) found a similar effect of the microbiota on tumor-bearing mice treated with cyclophosphamide, but in this case it appeared that the microbiota promoted an adaptive immune response against the tumors.

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