Table 3.

Microbe-associated molecular patterns, microbial metabolites, and their effect on antitumor activity of cellular therapy

Microbial metabolitesAntitumor effect on cellular therapiesReference
Nongenetically modified cellular therapy   
Cyclic dinucleotide Activates the stimulator of interferon gene pathway in T cells and NK cells, inhibiting the proliferation of T cells81 but augmenting the antitumor function of T cells82 and NK cells83  81-83  
SCFAs Pentanoate and butyrate treatments increase HDAC class I enzyme inhibition and mTOR activity in CTLs, enabling stronger antitumor function through enhanced CD25, TNF-α, and IFN-γ production 84  
Butyrate increases the production of IFN-γ and granzyme B in CTLs 85  
SCFA receptor GPR109A on T cells increases T-cell activation and alloreactivity by enhancing mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation while reducing T-cell apoptosis 86  
Butyrate supports liver-resident NK cells via IL18/IL-18 receptor signaling 87  
MTCs Indole-3-propionic acid enhances H3K27ac at the Tcf7 superenhancer, enhances T-cell stemness, progenitor-exhausted CD8+ T-cell differentiation, and antitumor function 88  
Secondary BAs Microbial BAs attenuate FXR activation, reduce the proliferation of human T cells, and are associated with longer OS in allo-HCT 89  
Protect IECs and maintain the GVL effect 90  
UA It improves the persistence and effector functions of CTLs via ERK1/2 signaling 91  
Riboflavin Riboflavin and HMBPP improve MAIT and Vδ2+ T-cell activation and cytotoxicity 29  
4-HMBPP 
Genetically modified cellular therapy   
LPS LPS administration increases adoptively transferred TCR-Ts and enhances their IFN-γ production and antitumor function via Toll-like receptor 4 signaling 92  
SCFAs Pentanoate and butyrate treatment boosts CD25, TNF-α, and IFN-γ in CAR T cells, enhancing their antitumor function 84  
MTCs Indole-3-lactic acid enhances the binding of H3K27ac in the enhancer regions of IL12a,93 which can potentiate the cytotoxicity of CAR T cells94 and CAR NK cells95  93-95  
PAs Spermidine enhances CAR T-cell proliferation, elevates memory phenotype, and amplifies cytotoxicity in vitro 96  
UA Enhances CAR T-cell differentiation into TSCM and TCM, and bolsters cytotoxicity through Pink1-dependent mitophagy and the Wnt pathway 97  
It improves the persistence and effector functions of CAR T cells via ERK1/2 signaling 91  
Inosine It induces CAR T-cell epigenetic reprogramming and improves CAR T-cell stemness and cytotoxicity 98  
Microbial metabolitesAntitumor effect on cellular therapiesReference
Nongenetically modified cellular therapy   
Cyclic dinucleotide Activates the stimulator of interferon gene pathway in T cells and NK cells, inhibiting the proliferation of T cells81 but augmenting the antitumor function of T cells82 and NK cells83  81-83  
SCFAs Pentanoate and butyrate treatments increase HDAC class I enzyme inhibition and mTOR activity in CTLs, enabling stronger antitumor function through enhanced CD25, TNF-α, and IFN-γ production 84  
Butyrate increases the production of IFN-γ and granzyme B in CTLs 85  
SCFA receptor GPR109A on T cells increases T-cell activation and alloreactivity by enhancing mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation while reducing T-cell apoptosis 86  
Butyrate supports liver-resident NK cells via IL18/IL-18 receptor signaling 87  
MTCs Indole-3-propionic acid enhances H3K27ac at the Tcf7 superenhancer, enhances T-cell stemness, progenitor-exhausted CD8+ T-cell differentiation, and antitumor function 88  
Secondary BAs Microbial BAs attenuate FXR activation, reduce the proliferation of human T cells, and are associated with longer OS in allo-HCT 89  
Protect IECs and maintain the GVL effect 90  
UA It improves the persistence and effector functions of CTLs via ERK1/2 signaling 91  
Riboflavin Riboflavin and HMBPP improve MAIT and Vδ2+ T-cell activation and cytotoxicity 29  
4-HMBPP 
Genetically modified cellular therapy   
LPS LPS administration increases adoptively transferred TCR-Ts and enhances their IFN-γ production and antitumor function via Toll-like receptor 4 signaling 92  
SCFAs Pentanoate and butyrate treatment boosts CD25, TNF-α, and IFN-γ in CAR T cells, enhancing their antitumor function 84  
MTCs Indole-3-lactic acid enhances the binding of H3K27ac in the enhancer regions of IL12a,93 which can potentiate the cytotoxicity of CAR T cells94 and CAR NK cells95  93-95  
PAs Spermidine enhances CAR T-cell proliferation, elevates memory phenotype, and amplifies cytotoxicity in vitro 96  
UA Enhances CAR T-cell differentiation into TSCM and TCM, and bolsters cytotoxicity through Pink1-dependent mitophagy and the Wnt pathway 97  
It improves the persistence and effector functions of CAR T cells via ERK1/2 signaling 91  
Inosine It induces CAR T-cell epigenetic reprogramming and improves CAR T-cell stemness and cytotoxicity 98  

ERK, extracellular signal–regulated kinase; FXR, farnesoid X receptor; HDAC, histone deacetylase; IFN-γ, interferon gamma; MAIT, mucosal-associated invariant T cells; TCM, central memory T cells; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor α; TSCM, memory stem T cells.

or Create an Account

Close Modal
Close Modal