Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41587007›Full record

ArticleScience China. Life sciences2026

Targeting intratumoral Streptococcus mitis suppresses the progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Ruijin Lu, Ju Zhu, Qinghua Song, Yutang Huang, Xue Zhou, Weiqin Du, Chunjie Wen, Weifeng Xia, Qingchen Wu, Lanxiang Wu

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Science China. Life sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

10 authors.

Ruijin Lu *Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics, College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
Ju Zhu *Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
Qinghua SongDepartment of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
Yutang HuangLaboratory of Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics, College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
Xue ZhouLaboratory of Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics, College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
Weiqin DuLaboratory of Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics, College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
Chunjie WenLaboratory of Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics, College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
Weifeng XiaLaboratory of Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics, College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
Qingchen WuDepartment of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China. lxwu@cqmu.edu.cn.
Lanxiang WuLaboratory of Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics, College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China. qcwucq@163.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a prevalent malignancy worldwide with limited therapeutic options. Emerging evidence implicates intratumoral bacteria in ESCC pathogenesis. Here, we identified enriched levels of the Gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus mitis (S. mitis) in ESCC patient tumor tissues, which facilitated ESCC progression both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, mitilysin (MLY), a virulence factor secreted by S. mitis, interacted with zinc finger protein 460 (ZNF460) and promoted its proteasomal degradation. Downregulation of this transcription factor suppressed the transcription of circular RNA circAAGAB, subsequently activating the miR-671-5p/GAS7c and PABP1/TNFAIP2 pathways to enhance ESCC cell proliferation and metastasis. Furthermore, we developed an S. mitis-targeted, mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN)-based drug delivery system, in which the MSN surface was decorated with an antibody against lipoteichoic acid (LTA), a major cell wall component of Gram-positive bacteria (LTA-MSNs). When loaded with penicillin, circAAGAB, or both, LTA-MSNs precisely targeted intratumoral S. mitis in ESCC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, demonstrating potent tumor-suppressive efficacy. Collectively, our findings reveal that intratumoral S. mitis critically drives ESCC tumorigenesis and represents a promising therapeutic target.

Indexed as

Esophageal NeoplasmsEsophageal Squamous Cell CarcinomaStreptococcus mitisAnimalsCell Line, TumorCell ProliferationDisease ProgressionDrug Delivery SystemsHumansLipopolysaccharidesMiceNanoparticlesTeichoic AcidsXenograft Model Antitumor AssaysLipopolysaccharideslipoteichoic acidTeichoic AcidscircAAGABesophageal squamous cell carcinomaintratumoral bacteriamesoporous silica nanoparticlesStreptococcus mitis

Identifiers

PMID41587007

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.