title: Bacterial Biofilms in Colorectal Cancer Initiation and Progression.
abstract: Intestinal microbiota have emerged as an important factor in colorectal cancer (CRC) initiation and progression. The currently prominent view on bacterial tumorigenesis is that CRC initiation is triggered by local mucosal colonization with specific pathogens (drivers), and that subsequent changes in the peritumoral environment allow colonization by opportunistic (passenger) microbes, further facilitating disease progression. Screening for CRC 'driver-passenger' microorganisms might thus allow early CRC diagnosis or preventive intervention. Such efforts are now being revolutionized by the notion that CRC initiation and progression require organization of bacterial communities into higher-order structures termed biofilms. We explore here the concept that a polymicrobial biofilm promotes pro-carcinogenic activities that may partially underlie progression along the adenoma-CRC axis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus University Medical Center (Erasmus MC), Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus University Medical Center (Erasmus MC), Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sergey R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Konstantinov
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus University Medical Center (Erasmus MC), Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Smits
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus University Medical Center (Erasmus MC), Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: m.peppelenbosch@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Maikel P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Peppelenbosch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018441:Biofilms; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D012007:Rectum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology
keywords: biofilm; colorectal cancer; microbiome; progression.; tumor initiation