2024/09/01 by Morgan A. Giese, Gayathri Ramakrishnan, Laura Steenberge +3 · 1 voice · 13 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Immunology and Microbiology · #Artificial intelligence #Bacteria #Bacterial cell structure #Biology #Cancer Research and Treatments #Cluster analysis #Computer science #Genetics #Immune Response and Inflammation #Immunotherapy and Immune Responses #Lipid II #Microbiology #Staphylococcus aureus
paper · pdf · doi:10.1242/dmm.050770
published in Disease Models & Mechanisms 17(9) (The Company of Biologists)
openalex publication_date 2024/09/01 · openalex created_date 2024/09/18 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
The microbiome can influence cancer development and progression. However, less is known about the role of the skin microbiota in melanoma. Here, we took advantage of a zebrafish melanoma model to probe the effects of Staphylococcus aureus on melanoma invasion. We found that S. aureus produces factors that enhance melanoma invasion and dissemination in zebrafish larvae. We used a published in vitro 3D cluster formation assay that correlates increased clustering with tumor invasion. S. aureus supernatant increased clustering of melanoma cells and was abrogated by a Rho-Kinase inhibitor, implicating a role for Rho-GTPases. The melanoma clustering response was specific to S. aureus but not to other staphylococcal species, including S. epidermidis. Our findings suggest that S. aureus promotes melanoma clustering and invasion via lipids generated by the lipase Sal2 (officially known as GehB). Taken together, these findings suggest that specific bacterial products mediate melanoma invasive migration in zebrafish.