The Mycobiome: Cancer Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Therapy

Cancer is among the leading causes of death globally. Despite advances in cancer research, a full understanding of the exact cause has not been established. Recent data have shown that the microbiome has an important relationship with cancer on various levels, including cancer pathogenesis, diagnosis and prognosis, and treatment. Since most studies have focused only on the role of bacteria in this process, in this article we review the role of fungi—another important group of the microbiome, the totality of which is referred to as the “mycobiome”—in the development of cancer and how it can impact responses to anticancer medications. Furthermore, we provide recent evidence that shows how the different microbial communities interact and affect each other at gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal sites, including the skin, thereby emphasizing the importance of investigating the microbiome beyond bacteria

Serum β2-microglobulin levels in Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19): Another prognosticator of disease severity?

β2-microglobulin (β2-m), a 11.8 kDa protein, pairs non-covalently with the α3 domain of the major histocompatibility class (MHC) I α-chain and is essential for the conformation of the MHC class I protein complex. Shed β2-m is measurable in circulation, and various disorders are accompanied by increases in β2-m levels, including several viral infections. Therefore, we explored whether β2-m levels could also be elevated in Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and whether they predict disease severity. Serum β2-m levels were measured in a cohort of 34 patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 on admission to a tertiary care hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as well as in an approximately age-sex matched group of 34 uninfected controls. Mean β2-m level was 3.25±1.68 mg/l (reference range 0.8–2.2 mg/l) in patients (mean age 48.2±21.6) and 1.98±0.61 mg/l in controls (mean age 48.2±21.6). 17 patients (mean age 36.9± 18.0) with mean β2-m levels of 2.27±0.64 mg/l had mild disease by WHO severity categorization, 12 patients (mean age 53.3±18.1) with mean β2-m levels of 3.57±1.39 mg/l had moderate disease, and five patients (of whom 2 died; mean age 74.4±13.8) with mean β2-m levels of 5.85±1.85 mg/l had severe disease (P < = 0.001, by ANOVA test for linear trend). In multivariate ordinal regression β2-m levels were the only significant predictor of disease severity. Our findings suggest that higher β2-m levels could be an early indicator of severity of disease and predict outcome of Covid-19. As the main limitations of the study are a single-center study, sample size and ethnicity, these results need confirmation in larger cohorts outside the Arabian Peninsula in order to delineate the value of β2-m measurements. The role of β2-m in the etiology and pathogenesis of severe Covid-19 remains to be elucidated