Why Does Your Uterus Become Malignant? The Impact of the Microbiome on Endometrial Carcinogenesis
Katarzyna Morańska,
Monika Englert-Golon,
Magdalena Durda-Masny,
Stefan Sajdak,
Marlena Grabowska,
Anita Szwed
Affiliations
Katarzyna Morańska
Institute of Human Biology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznanskiego 6, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
Monika Englert-Golon
Department of Gynaecology Obstetrics and Gynaecological Oncology, Division of Gynecological Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-535 Poznan, Poland
Magdalena Durda-Masny
Institute of Human Biology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznanskiego 6, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
Stefan Sajdak
Department of Gynaecology Obstetrics and Gynaecological Oncology, Division of Gynecological Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-535 Poznan, Poland
Marlena Grabowska
Department of Gynaecology Obstetrics and Gynaecological Oncology, Division of Gynecological Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-535 Poznan, Poland
Anita Szwed
Institute of Human Biology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznanskiego 6, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
The aim of this review was to describe the uterine microbiome composition that has been analyzed so far and describe potential pathways in the carcinogenesis of the endometrium. The microbiome in the uterine environment is involved in apoptosis and proliferation during the menstruation cycle, pregnancy maintenance, and immune system support. However, bacteria in the uterus could stimulate inflammation, which when chronic results in malignancy. An altered gut microbiota initiates an inflammatory response through microorganism-associated molecular patterns, which leads to intensified steroidogenesis in the ovaries and cancers. Moreover, intestinal bacteria secreting the enzyme β-glucuronidase may increase the level of circulating estrogen and, as a result, be influential in gynecological cancers. Both the uterine and the gut microbiota play a pivotal role in immune modulation, which is why there is a demand for further investigation from both the diagnostic and the therapeutic perspectives.
