Cigarette smoke promotes colorectal cancer through modulation of gut microbiota and related metabolites

Objective Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC). We aimed to investigate whether cigarette smoke promotes CRC by altering the gut microbiota and related metabolites. Design Azoxymethane-treated C57BL/6 mice were exposed to cigarette smoke or clean air 2 hours per day for 28 weeks. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry were parallelly performed on mice stools to investigate alterations in microbiota and metabolites. Germ-free mice were transplanted with stools from smoke-exposed and smoke-free control mice. Results Mice exposed to cigarette smoke had significantly increased tumour incidence and cellular proliferation compared with smoke-free…

• RG
  Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee

  Awards: C4039-19GF, T21-705/20-N, C7065-18GF, 14163817
• CU
  Chinese University of Hong Kong
• NK
  National Key Research and Development Program of China

  Awards: 2020YFA0509203, 2020YFA0509200