Bacterial DNA involvement in carcinogenesis

• Published in: Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology Vol. 12; p. 996778
• Main Authors: Yangyanqiu, Wang, Shuwen, Han
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 12.10.2022
• Subjects: bacterial DNA; cancerogenesis; Carcinogenesis; Cellular and Infection Microbiology; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; DNA, Viral - genetics; Female; gene integration; Genome, Human; human genome; Humans; hypothesis; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms; Virus Integration; human genome; gene integration; bacterial DNA; hypothesis; cancerogenesis
• ISSN: 2235-2988; 2235-2988
• DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.996778

The incidence of cancer is high worldwide, and biological factors such as viruses and bacteria play an important role in the occurrence of cancer. Helicobacter pylori , human papillomavirus , hepatitis B viruses and other organisms have been identified as carcinogens. Cancer is a disease driven by the accumulation of genome changes. Viruses can directly cause cancer by changing the genetic composition of the human body, such as cervical cancer caused by human papillomavirus DNA integration and liver cancer caused by hepatitis B virus DNA integration. Recently, bacterial DNA has been found around cancers such as pancreatic cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer, and the idea that bacterial genes can also be integrated into the human genome has become a hot topic. In the present paper, we reviewed the latest phenomenon and specific integration mechanism of bacterial DNA into the human genome. Based on these findings, we also suggest three sources of bacterial DNA in cancers: bacterial DNA around human tissues, free bacterial DNA in bacteremia or sepsis, and endogenous bacterial DNA in the human genome. Clarifying the theory that bacterial DNA integrates into the human genome can provide a new perspective for cancer prevention and treatment.