Bacteroides fragilis toxin promotes gall bladder cancer in mice.
- Open access
ETBF toxin significantly promotes gall bladder cancer development in mice, with a BFT-dependent increase in tumor growth and proliferation.
- Why it matters: Gall bladder cancer has limited treatment options, and understanding microbial contributions could reveal new therapeutic targets to improve patient outcomes.
- What they did: Researchers analyzed patient samples and used mouse models, organoids, and in vitro systems to demonstrate ETBF's enrichment, colonization, and tumor-promoting effects, focusing on BFT and its interactions.
- The result: Findings show BFT activates tumorigenic pathways via MltD and TMPRSS13, triggering JAK2-STAT3 and NF-κB signalling, which promotes tumor growth, immune suppression, and angiogenesis, offering new intervention strategies.