A new study by researchers from the University of Chicago has found that some commensal bacteria may promote the development of leukemia caused by the murine leukemia virus (MuLV) in mice, by suppressing the adaptive anti-tumor immune response. The team’s research showed that when both the virus and commensal bacteria are present in mice, three negative immune regulator genes are upregulated, which in turn tamps down the immune response that would otherwise kill the tumor cells. Two of the three negative immune regulators are known to be indicators of poor prognosis for humans with some forms of cancer.
