Commensal Nakaseomyces glabratus migrates into prostate tumors to accelerate cancer progression.

Commensal Nakaseomyces glabratus translocates from the gut to prostate tumors, accelerating cancer progression and worsening patient survival in castration-resistant prostate cancer.

• Why it matters: Understanding how gut fungi influence prostate cancer is crucial because their role in tumor initiation and progression is largely unexplored, limiting potential therapeutic strategies.
• What they did: Researchers analyzed fecal, blood, and tumor samples from patients and used mouse models, administering N. glabratus orally and employing a hydrogel to block its translocation, focusing on immune cell activation.
• The result: Findings show N. glabratus promotes tumor growth by activating immunosuppressive PMN-MDSCs via Dectin-2, and blocking its movement reduces immune suppression, offering new avenues for treatment.