Correlation of Gut Microbiota with Efficacy of Chemotherapy in Patients with Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma

Abstract The composition and diversity of gut microbiota (GMB) have been reported to be associated with the occurrence and progression as well as treatment outcome in many diseases. Our previous study demonstrated that the GMB was changed significantly and Proteobacteria phylum was the dominant microbiota in untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients compared with healthy controls. This study aims to investigate the association of GMB with treatment outcomes in patients with DLBCL. 17 Patients with DLBCL and 18 healthy volunteers were recruited at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. The GMB of fecal samples was analyzed using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. We examined GMB compositions in 3 contexts: DLBCL patients (17) compared with healthy controls (18), DLBCL patients pretreatment (17) compared with posttreatment (17), and the association of GMB with chemotherapy treatment outcomes (10 complete remissions, 7 non-complete remisisons). We found that the GMB was changed considerably in posttreatment DLBCL patients. More specifically, the abundance of Proteobacteria phylum decreased significantly in patients following 4 courses of chemotherapy, although no significant difference from healthy comtrols(CG). In addition, the abundance of Lactobacillaceae, Lactobacillus, Lactobacillus fermentum were significantly higher and became dominant gut microbiota in DLBCL patients with complete remission, ,which may be associated with chemotherapy intervention and tumor extinction. Lactobacillus fermentum may have an inhibitory effect on DLBCL contributing to the disease remisison. The composition of gut microbiota in DLBCL patients changed from the healthy condition to the pretreatment condition, and then turned to the posttreatment condition after chemotherapy, which echoed the pathological succession of gut microbiota in DLBCL patients. Results from our current study together with previous research will provide a rational foundation for further investigation on the pathogenesis of gut microbiota in DLBCL to facilitate drug development and foster novel strategy for the better management of patients with DLBCL.