Enrichment of T - A → A: T substitutions in the TP53 gene in esophageal carcinoma with high Fusobacterium burden

Q: What was the study aiming to characterize in esophageal carcinoma?

The study characterized the TP53 mutation spectrum in esophageal carcinoma cases with high amounts of Fusobacterium species, using bacterial measurements to correlate with mutational patterns and clinical features.

Q: How were Fusobacterium levels measured in the tumor cases?

Pan-Fusobacterium species and Fusobacterium nucleatum were quantified by quantitative PCR in 112 esophageal carcinoma cases.

Q: Which TP53 substitution changes were associated with Pan-Fusobacterium-high tumors?

Pan-Fusobacterium-high esophageal carcinoma showed a decrease in C:G→A:T substitutions and an increase in T:A→A:T substitutions, both reported with strong statistical significance.

Sep 22, 2026

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Enrichment of Fusobacterium species is investigated as a modifier of TP53 mutational patterns in esophageal carcinoma. Quantitative PCR for Pan-Fusobacterium species and Fusobacterium nucleatum was conducted in 112 cases and correlated with TP53 mutation spectra and clinicopathological data. Pan-Fusobacterium-high tumors showed a distinct mutation spectrum with reduced C:G→A:T and increased T:A→A:T substitutions. High Pan-Fusobacterium status also related to male sex, upper/middle esophageal location, squamous histology, and more invasive, advanced-stage disease.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Materials and methods

Study population and sample collection

Quantitative PCR analysis for Fusobacterium

[www. nature.com/scientificreports](www. nature.com/scientificreports) OPEN Enrichment ofT: A →A: T substitutions in the TP53 gene in esophageal carcinoma with high Fusobacterium burden Tomomitsu Tahara1,5􀀍, Takuya Shijimaya1, Jumpei Yamazaki2,3, Tsubasa Shimogama1, Sanshiro Kobayashi1, Naohiro Nakamura1, Yu Takahashi1, Takashi Tomiyama1, Toshiro Fukui1, Tomoyuki Shibata4 & Makoto Naganuma1 Exogenous lifestyle and environmental risk factors impact mutation burden in both benign and cancerous tissues. Moreover, interactions between the mucosa-associated microbiome and such genotoxic changes have been implicated in several cancer types. This study aimed to characterize the TP53 mutation spectrum in esophageal carcinoma (EC) with high amounts ofFusobacterium species. Quantitative PCR analysis of Pan-Fusobacterium species and Fusobacterium nucleatum was performed in 112 EC cases (89 squamous cell carcinomas [SCCs] and 23 adenocarcinomas) . Results were correlated with TP53 mutation spectra and clinicopathological features. Both Pan-Fusobacterium species and F. nucleatum were significantly enriched in EC tissues compared with adjacent normal esophagus (both P < 0.001). The TP53 mutation spectrum in Pan-fusobacterium-high EC was characterized by a decrease in C: G→A: T and an increase inT: A→A: T substitutions (P < 0.001). Pan-fusobacterium-high EC was associated with male sex, tumors located in the upper or middle esophagus, and squamous cell histopathology. Cases of EC with detectable levels of Pan-Fusobacterium and F. nucleatum were also associated with more invasive tumors and more advanced cancer stages at diagnosis. These results suggest that EC with high numbers ofFusobacterium species was associated with a distinct mutation spectrum. Future studies should be conducted to investigate the mechanisms of how Fusobacterium species induce specific somatic mutations. Keywords Esophageal carcinoma, Fusobacterium species, TP53 mutation, mutation spectrum Esophageal carcinoma (EC) is an aggressive malignancy, with an annual incidence of 600 000 cases worldwide1. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common histologic subtype of EC in Eastern and Central Asia, accounting for about 80% of the total cases2. Esophageal adenocarcinoma is the most common subtype in Western countries, accounting for more than half of EC diagnoses3–5; its incidence rate is also gradually increasing in Japan6,7. Given the poor prognosis of late-stage EC, 3–5,8,9 deeper knowledge of the pathogenesis that drives the transition from normal epithelium to EC may provide new therapeutic alternatives and improve diagnostic and prognostic tools. Growing evidence links abnormal changes in the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota to several GI 10–12 and extra-intestinal diseases13–16, and various types of cancers17, 18. One of the most studied examples is colon carcinoma, in which the GI microbiota has been shown to promote carcinogenesis by altering the tumor immuno-environment19,20. One previous study reported a relationship between intratumoral Fusobacterium spp. and colon carcinoma, identifying specific molecular changes such as epigenetic anomalies and a higher somatic mutation rate21. Although the presence of Fusobacterium has been associated with poor prognosis in esophageal SCC22, another study revealed that genotoxic feature of esophageal SCC, such as hypomethylation of long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1), a marker of global DNA hypomethylation, were significantly associated with the presence ofFusobacterium spp. in this tumor type23. 1Third department of internal medicine, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata, Japan. 2Translational Research Unit, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan. 3One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan. 4Department of Gastroenterology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan. 5Third Department of Internal Medi

FAQs

What was the study aiming to characterize in esophageal carcinoma?

The study characterized the TP53 mutation spectrum in esophageal carcinoma cases with high amounts of Fusobacterium species, using bacterial measurements to correlate with mutational patterns and clinical features.

How were Fusobacterium levels measured in the tumor cases?

Pan-Fusobacterium species and Fusobacterium nucleatum were quantified by quantitative PCR in 112 esophageal carcinoma cases.

Which TP53 substitution changes were associated with Pan-Fusobacterium-high tumors?

Pan-Fusobacterium-high esophageal carcinoma showed a decrease in C:G→A:T substitutions and an increase in T:A→A:T substitutions, both reported with strong statistical significance.

Sep 22, 2026

Upload by Asher