Enterococcus faecalis virulence mechanisms associated with colorectal cancer

Abstract

Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent in the number of cases and deaths in the world. The intestinal microbiota performs several functions in the human host, and can directly influence health, affecting metabolism, the immune system and the production of hormones. Studies show that dysregulated intestinal microbiota or dysbiosis associated with virulence mechanisms may be related to the appearance of CRC. Among the microorganisms that make up the intestinal microbiota, the Enterococcus faecalis stands out. This Gram-positive bacterium is commensal of the gastrointestinal tract; however, it can act as an opportunistic pathogen, through the mechanisms associated with virulence. Objective: The aim of this literature review was to describe the role of virulence mechanisms of E. faecalis associated with CRC. Material and Methods: Literature review of articles published in the ScienceDirect and PubMed databases in the last 20 years (2002–2022), using the keywords Enterococcus, faecalis and colorectal cancer. Results: Of a total of 313 articles found, 39 were included for the development of this bibliographic review. The virulence mechanisms of the E. faecalis most pointed out in the literature associated with CRC are reactive oxygen species (58.9%), genomic instability (46.1%), 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (15.4%), gelatinase (12.8%), lipoteichoic acid (10.2%), aggregating substance (10.2%), toll-like receptors (7.7%), plasminogen activator urokinase (2.56%) and phosphotransferase system (2.56%). Conclusions: It was possible to verify that some mechanisms described in E. faecalis, mainly the reactive oxygen species, might be associated with the development of CRC.