Table 3 Examples of indirect interactions between infectious organisms and cancer through immunity for which the exact mechanism has been identified.TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor)
From: Infections and cancer: the “fifty shades of immunity” hypothesis
Impact on cancer | Infectious organisms | Mechanism implied | Immune compartment | Cancers | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Exacerbating | Human Immunodeficiency virus | Destruction of CD4 + T cells | CD4+ T cells | Several cancers (including those with infectious origin) | |
Fusobacterium nucleatum (intra-tumoral bacteria) | Inhibition by contact between bacterial Fap2 protein and immune cell receptor TIGIT | Natural Killer cells | Various tumors | [107] | |
Cytomegalovirus (infecting cancer cells) | Secretion of immunoregulatory protein (cmvIL-10) | Dentritic cells | Gliomas | ||
Constraining | Streptococcus pyogenes/ Serratia marcescens | Secretion of high quantity of TNF | Global immune system | Sarcoma | |
Attenuated Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) | Local stimulation of CD4+ T cells and Th1 immune response. Diminution of Treg cells. | T cell subsets | Bladder cancer |