Alfa Cytology is committed to helping our customers develop successful PC diagnostic biomarkers through tailored services, robust platforms, powerful analytics, and cross-platform collaborations. Based on advanced technologies such as metagenomics sequencing and amplicon sequencing, we can comprehensively and systematically analyze the diversity and variability of microbiota and promote the development of microbiota as PC diagnostic biomarkers.
Microbiota association with PC
Microbiota resides on or within about 20% of human malignancies. Recent studies on the impact of the microbiota on carcinogenesis highlighted its crucial role in gastrointestinal malignancies including PC. A growing number of studies suggest that microbes are associated with susceptibility, initiation, and progression of PC and can influence treatment outcome, but the mechanisms are still being investigated. Oral microbiota, periodontal disease, and tooth loss have been reported to play a key role in the development of PC. Epidemiological studies suggest that Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) may be a risk factor for PDAC. Furthermore, hepatotropic viruses, including hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and transfusion-transmitted virus (TTV), have been observed for their potential oncogenic role in pancreatic tumorigenesis. In addition, PDAC tissue is rich in intratumoral microbes compared to normal pancreas.
Fig. 1 The association between gut microbiota dysbiosis and PDAC development. (Kazmierczak-Siedlecka, K., et al., 2021)
The service offering at Alfa Cytology
PC patients have different microbiota alterations in several body sites (including oral, salivary, GI, blood, stool, and pancreatic tissues) compared to the healthy population. Microbial-based PC testing may provide a non-invasive, cost-effective, and robust method for early PC diagnosis. Alfa Cytology offers a range of methods to detect and analyze the microbiota, including shotgun metagenomic and 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene sequencing, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and qPCR. Among them, 16S rRNA gene sequencing can be used to explore the relationship between PC and the human oral and gut microbiome. Shotgun metagenomics can identify high-resolution microbial and functional features and assess the reproducibility of features in independent cohorts, which is essential for constructing a robust and generalizable PC prediction model. To develop PC diagnostic biomarkers, we focus on salivary and stool samples.
- Oral microbiome and PC
There are significant differences in the composition of oral microbiota in PC patients compared to the oral microbiota of healthy individuals. It is believed that oral microbiota dysbiosis occurs before the onset of PDAC, not after the onset of cancer. Oral bacteria, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), Fusobacterium, Neisseria elongata (N. elongata) and Streptococcus mitis (S. mitis) are keystone pathogens involved in PDAC carcinogenesis. A recent study has shown that Fusobacterium periodonticum and Neisseria mucosa have potential as diagnostic biomarkers of PC.
- Gut microbiomes and PC
Similarly, microbial composition in the gut and duodenum, as quantified by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, has previously been thought to be associated with PDAC risk.
- Our services specifically include:
-Experimental design and consultation
-Optimized and validated sample preparation protocol
-Shotgun metagenomic and 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and data analysis
-Identification of potential fecal and salivary biomarkers associated with PC
Alfa Cytology has a team of experts and state-of-the-art facilities. Our service is dedicated to contributing to the generation of predictive markers for PC and highlights the critical role of microbiota in cancer surveillance. Let us know what you are trying to achieve and contact us. We are ready to assist.
References
- Kartal, Ece, et al. "A faecal microbiota signature with high specificity for pancreatic cancer." Gut 71.7 (2022): 1359-1372.
- Kazmierczak-Siedlecka, K., et al. "The potential of gut microbiome as a non-invasive predictive biomarker for early detection of pancreatic cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma." Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 25.23 (2021): 7275-7284.
- Wei, Miao-Yan, et al. "The microbiota and microbiome in pancreatic cancer: more influential than expected." Molecular cancer 18.1 (2019): 1-15.