Role of microbiota in bladder cancer development
Bladder cancer (BC) is the fourth most common cancer in men after prostate, lung and colorectal cancer. It is three to four times more common in males than in females. Bladder cancer can be caused by chronic infestation with Schistosoma haematobium while the main therapeutic approach for bladder cancer involves infection with bacterium BCG. These facts clearly emphasize the importance of urinary microbial composition (microbiota) in bladder cancer pathogenesis which has not been addressed properly yet. Recent studies, including ours, demonstrated that urine is not sterile, and it is becoming evident that urine microbiota differs between patients with bladder cancer and healthy individuals. Here we propose a study that will address the important aspect of the intricate relationship between microbiota and urinary bladder cancer. By using mice with non-functional TLR4 receptor and MyD88 downstream signaling molecule we will assess the role of lipopolysaccharide-containing, gram-negative bacteria (e.g. E. coli and F. nucleatum) in BC development. Identification of microbial or microbe-associated molecular elements important in BC pathology will open new avenues for bladder cancer diagnostics and treatment.