Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40121033›Full record

ArticleJournal for immunotherapy of cancer2025

Microbial Ecosystem Therapeutics 4 (MET4) elicits treatment-specific IgG responses associated with changes in gut microbiota in immune checkpoint inhibitor recipients with advanced solid tumors.

Matthew K Wong, Giselle M Boukhaled, Eric Armstrong, Rachel Liu, Alya A Heirali, Noelle R Yee, Jinny Tsang, Pavlina Spiliopoulou, Pierre H H Schneeberger, Ben X Wang and 6 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal for immunotherapy of cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Decoding the power of the microbiome in human health.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026
    Review
  4. Review
  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Matthew K WongDepartment of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-4746-7571
Giselle M BoukhaledTumor Immunotherapy Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Eric ArmstrongToronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Rachel LiuInstitute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Alya A HeiraliToronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Noelle R YeeToronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Jinny TsangDepartment of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Pavlina SpiliopoulouPrincess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Pierre H H SchneebergerDepartment of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland.
Ben X WangTumor Immunotherapy Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Kyla CochraneNubiyota LLP, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Keith SherriffUniversity of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Emma Allen-VercoeNubiyota LLP, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Lillian L SiuTumor Immunotherapy Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Anna Spreafico *Tumor Immunotherapy Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3034-3042
Bryan Coburn *Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada bryan.coburn@uhn.ca.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundGut microbiome modulation has shown promise in its potential to treat cancer in combination with immunotherapy. Mechanistically, the pathways and routes by which gut microbiota may influence systemic and antitumor immunity remain uncertain. Here, we used blood and stool samples from Microbial Ecosystem Therapeutic 4 (MET4)-IO, an early-phase trial testing the safety and engraftment of the MET4 bacterial consortium in immune checkpoint inhibitor recipients, to assess how MET4 may affect systemic immunity.

methodsCirculating antibody responses induced by MET4 were assessed using an antimicrobial antibody flow cytometry assay on pretreatment and post-treatment plasma. Antibody responses were associated with taxonomic changes in stool identified by metagenomic sequencing. Mass cytometry was performed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells to identify shifts in circulating immune subsets associated with antibody responses.

resultsIncreases in circulating anti-MET4 immunoglobulin G (IgG) responses were measured by flow cytometry post-consortium treatment in MET4 recipients, but not untreated control participants, with five individuals displaying notably higher antibody responses. Stronger IgG responses were associated with greater increases in multiple taxa, including MET4 microbe

conclusionThese results demonstrate the induction of treatment-specific circulating humoral immunity by a bacterial consortium and suggest potential mechanisms by which gut microbes may contribute to antitumor immunity.

Indexed as

Gastrointestinal MicrobiomeImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsImmunoglobulin GNeoplasmsFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsImmunoglobulin GAntibodyCombination therapyImmune Checkpoint Inhibitor

Identifiers

PMID40121033
PMCPMC11979602

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.