A systematic Mendelian randomized study of the effects of the gut microbiome and immune cells on pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

Abstract Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) are a rare subset of pancreatic cancers often diagnosed late and characterized by complex behaviors. Recent evidence suggests the gut microbiome (GM) significantly influences various diseases by modulating the immune system. This study utilized a Men...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Fangsheng Chen, Yuan Zhou, Xinwen Mao, Ronggui Lin, Heguang Huang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-05-01
Series:Discover Oncology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-02761-3
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850243151717990400
author Fangsheng Chen
Yuan Zhou
Xinwen Mao
Ronggui Lin
Heguang Huang
author_facet Fangsheng Chen
Yuan Zhou
Xinwen Mao
Ronggui Lin
Heguang Huang
author_sort Fangsheng Chen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) are a rare subset of pancreatic cancers often diagnosed late and characterized by complex behaviors. Recent evidence suggests the gut microbiome (GM) significantly influences various diseases by modulating the immune system. This study utilized a Mendelian randomization (MR) approach to investigate the causal relationship between GM and pNETs, using single nucleotide polymorphism data as instrumental variables. Two-sample MR analysis identified significant correlations between GM and immune cell types. The study found eight specific GMs affecting pNETs risk: the family Sutterellaceae (OR: 1.52, 95% CI 1.10–2.10, p = 0.01), the genus Paraprevotella (OR: 1.34, 95% CI 1.05–1.72, p = 0.02), the species Paraprevotella unclassified (OR: 1.40, 95% CI 1.08–1.81, p = 0.01), and the species Ruminococcus torques (OR: 1.45, 95% CI 1.12–1.89, p = 0.01) increased risk, while the class Gammaproteobacteria (OR: 0.75, 95% CI 0.57–0.98, p = 0.04), the family Acidaminococcaceae (OR: 0.70, 95% CI 0.52–0.94, p = 0.02), the species Paraprevotella xylaniphila (OR: 0.72, 95% CI 0.54–0.96, p = 0.03), and the species Bacteroides finegoldii (OR: 0.68, 95% CI 0.51–0.91, p = 0.01) decreased it. Mediation analysis indicated the species Ruminococcus torques mediated the effect of CD25 on CD45RA+ CD4 non-regulatory T cells on pNETs, accounting for 3.6% of the total effect. This study provides evidence suggestive of a potential causal role of specific GM compositions in pNETs progression and their mediation through immune cell signatures. However, mechanistic studies are required to further validate this relationship. Graphical abstract
format Article
id doaj-art-0b7c3234e9d04d69a64fa2b82356a17d
institution OA Journals
issn 2730-6011
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Springer
record_format Article
series Discover Oncology
spelling doaj-art-0b7c3234e9d04d69a64fa2b82356a17d2025-08-20T02:00:03ZengSpringerDiscover Oncology2730-60112025-05-0116111010.1007/s12672-025-02761-3A systematic Mendelian randomized study of the effects of the gut microbiome and immune cells on pancreatic neuroendocrine tumorsFangsheng Chen0Yuan Zhou1Xinwen Mao2Ronggui Lin3Heguang Huang4Department of General Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union HospitalDepartment of General Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union HospitalDepartment of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical UniversityDepartment of General Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union HospitalDepartment of General Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union HospitalAbstract Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) are a rare subset of pancreatic cancers often diagnosed late and characterized by complex behaviors. Recent evidence suggests the gut microbiome (GM) significantly influences various diseases by modulating the immune system. This study utilized a Mendelian randomization (MR) approach to investigate the causal relationship between GM and pNETs, using single nucleotide polymorphism data as instrumental variables. Two-sample MR analysis identified significant correlations between GM and immune cell types. The study found eight specific GMs affecting pNETs risk: the family Sutterellaceae (OR: 1.52, 95% CI 1.10–2.10, p = 0.01), the genus Paraprevotella (OR: 1.34, 95% CI 1.05–1.72, p = 0.02), the species Paraprevotella unclassified (OR: 1.40, 95% CI 1.08–1.81, p = 0.01), and the species Ruminococcus torques (OR: 1.45, 95% CI 1.12–1.89, p = 0.01) increased risk, while the class Gammaproteobacteria (OR: 0.75, 95% CI 0.57–0.98, p = 0.04), the family Acidaminococcaceae (OR: 0.70, 95% CI 0.52–0.94, p = 0.02), the species Paraprevotella xylaniphila (OR: 0.72, 95% CI 0.54–0.96, p = 0.03), and the species Bacteroides finegoldii (OR: 0.68, 95% CI 0.51–0.91, p = 0.01) decreased it. Mediation analysis indicated the species Ruminococcus torques mediated the effect of CD25 on CD45RA+ CD4 non-regulatory T cells on pNETs, accounting for 3.6% of the total effect. This study provides evidence suggestive of a potential causal role of specific GM compositions in pNETs progression and their mediation through immune cell signatures. However, mechanistic studies are required to further validate this relationship. Graphical abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-02761-3
spellingShingle Fangsheng Chen
Yuan Zhou
Xinwen Mao
Ronggui Lin
Heguang Huang
A systematic Mendelian randomized study of the effects of the gut microbiome and immune cells on pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors
Discover Oncology
title A systematic Mendelian randomized study of the effects of the gut microbiome and immune cells on pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors
title_full A systematic Mendelian randomized study of the effects of the gut microbiome and immune cells on pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors
title_fullStr A systematic Mendelian randomized study of the effects of the gut microbiome and immune cells on pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors
title_full_unstemmed A systematic Mendelian randomized study of the effects of the gut microbiome and immune cells on pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors
title_short A systematic Mendelian randomized study of the effects of the gut microbiome and immune cells on pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors
title_sort systematic mendelian randomized study of the effects of the gut microbiome and immune cells on pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-02761-3
work_keys_str_mv AT fangshengchen asystematicmendelianrandomizedstudyoftheeffectsofthegutmicrobiomeandimmunecellsonpancreaticneuroendocrinetumors
AT yuanzhou asystematicmendelianrandomizedstudyoftheeffectsofthegutmicrobiomeandimmunecellsonpancreaticneuroendocrinetumors
AT xinwenmao asystematicmendelianrandomizedstudyoftheeffectsofthegutmicrobiomeandimmunecellsonpancreaticneuroendocrinetumors
AT rongguilin asystematicmendelianrandomizedstudyoftheeffectsofthegutmicrobiomeandimmunecellsonpancreaticneuroendocrinetumors
AT heguanghuang asystematicmendelianrandomizedstudyoftheeffectsofthegutmicrobiomeandimmunecellsonpancreaticneuroendocrinetumors
AT fangshengchen systematicmendelianrandomizedstudyoftheeffectsofthegutmicrobiomeandimmunecellsonpancreaticneuroendocrinetumors
AT yuanzhou systematicmendelianrandomizedstudyoftheeffectsofthegutmicrobiomeandimmunecellsonpancreaticneuroendocrinetumors
AT xinwenmao systematicmendelianrandomizedstudyoftheeffectsofthegutmicrobiomeandimmunecellsonpancreaticneuroendocrinetumors
AT rongguilin systematicmendelianrandomizedstudyoftheeffectsofthegutmicrobiomeandimmunecellsonpancreaticneuroendocrinetumors
AT heguanghuang systematicmendelianrandomizedstudyoftheeffectsofthegutmicrobiomeandimmunecellsonpancreaticneuroendocrinetumors