Bacteroides acidifaciens enriched by KRAS mutation promotes colorectal tumorigenesis.

Bacteroides acidifaciens enriched by KRAS mutation promotes colorectal tumorigenesis in KRAS-mutant models.

• Why it matters: Understanding how host genetics interact with the tumor microbiome is crucial for developing targeted therapies for colorectal cancer, especially in KRAS-mutant cases where prognosis is poor.
• What they did: The study profiled microbiomes from KRAS-mutant CRC patients and mice, revealing enrichment of Bacteroides acidifaciens linked to worse outcomes, and used isogenic models to test its effects on tumor phenotypes and signaling pathways.
• The result: B. acidifaciens promotes malignant traits in KRAS-mutant CRC by stabilizing ARHGEF2, which enhances KRAS and ERK signaling; disrupting this interaction reduces tumor-promoting effects, suggesting new therapeutic strategies.