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Review
. 2025 Jan 7:15:1448116.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1448116. eCollection 2024.

Obesity, dietary interventions and microbiome alterations in the development and progression of prostate cancer

Shaun Trecarten  1 , Michael A Liss  2 , Jill Hamilton-Reeves  3 , John DiGiovanni  4
Affiliations
Review

Obesity, dietary interventions and microbiome alterations in the development and progression of prostate cancer

Shaun Trecarten et al. Front Immunol. .

Abstract

Purpose of review: The role of the microbiome in prostate cancer is an emerging subject of research interest. Certain lifestyle factors, such as obesity and diet, can also impact the microbiome, which has been implicated in many diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. However, this link has yet to be explored in detail in the context of prostate cancer. The purpose of this review is to explore the cross-talk between obesity, dietary interventions, and microbiome alterations in the development and progression of prostate cancer.

Recent findings: Many possible mechanisms exist linking obesity and dietary interventions to microbiome alterations and prostate cancer. The gut microbiome produces metabolites that could play a role in prostate cancer oncogenesis, including short-chain fatty acids, cholesterol derivatives, and folic acid. The microbiome also plays a pivotal role in the prostate tumor microenvironment (TME), contributing to inflammation, local tissue hypoxia, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. A bidirectional relationship exists between obesity and the microbiome, and certain diets can enact changes to the microbiome, its associated metabolites, and prostate cancer outcomes.

Summary: Cross-talk exists between obesity, dietary interventions, and the role of the microbiome in the development and progression of prostate cancer. To further our understanding, future human studies in prostate cancer should investigate microbiome changes and incorporate an assessment of microbiome-derived metabolites and cellular/immune changes in the TME.

Keywords: and role of microbiome in prostate cancer; cross-talk; diet; diet obesity; microbiome; obesity; prostate cancer.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

ML is the founder of a microbiome startup, Oncobiomix, which did not provide any funding for this manuscript. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Cross-talk between obesity/high-fat diet and the microbiome, with mechanisms linking obesity to prostate cancer. CCL, CC chemokine ligands; CXCL, Chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand (CXCL); ER, estrogen receptor; HIF, hypoxia-inducible factor; IGF, insulin-like growth factor; IL, interleukin; MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase; Pi3K, phosphoinositide 3-kinase; ROS, reactive oxygen species; SCFAs, short chain fatty acids; SHBG, sex-hormone binding globulin signaling; TGF, transforming growth factor; TNF, tumor necrosis factor; WAT, White adipose tissue. Created in BioRender. https://BioRender.com/y81u930.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Complex interplay between obesity, dietary interventions, and the role of the microbiome in the development and progression of prostate cancer. Two headed arrows indicate a bidirectional relationship. Created with BioRender.com. https://BioRender.com/s65m081.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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