How the mouth bacterium Parvimonas micra may change gene control in colon cells and promote colon cancer
Official title: Epigenetic mechanisms of carcinogenesis by Parvimonas micra, an oral cavity commensal turned colon cancer pathogen
Funded at Mayo Clinic Arizona · NIH-11146520 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether a common mouth germ, Parvimonas micra, changes DNA methylation in colon cells and helps drive colorectal cancer in people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Arizona NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Scottsdale, United States) |
| Project start | September 13, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $606,007 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA264048-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11146520 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants would be people with colorectal cancer, those with high-risk lesions, or individuals willing to provide stool samples, colon mucosa biopsies, or blood for microbiome and DNA methylation studies.
✕Less likely to help
People without colon disease who are not willing to provide samples or those whose cancers are driven purely by unrelated genetic mutations may not see direct benefit from this research.
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers are comparing stool, colon tissue, and blood from people with and without colorectal cancer to see if Parvimonas micra is linked to changes in gene regulation. They will transfer patient-derived microbiomes into germ-free mice and follow early colon lesions to see if the bacteria cause DNA methylation and tumor-like changes. In lab tests they will grow Parvimonas with human colon tumor cells under low-oxygen conditions to see if the bacterium can directly alter DNA methylation and chromatin accessibility. The team will use sequencing methods that map DNA methylation and chromatin state to pinpoint how bacterial colonization might reprogram colon cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If confirmed, this work could point to new ways to screen for risk, prevent, or treat colorectal cancer by targeting specific oral bacteria or bacterial effects on DNA methylation.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown P. micra is enriched in colorectal cancer and that transferring CRC stool to mice can promote methylation and early lesions, but direct bacterial-driven DNA methylation in human cells is a newer and still-emerging finding.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Arizona
Scottsdale, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Khazaie, Khashayarsha — Mayo Clinic Arizona
- Study coordinator: Khazaie, Khashayarsha
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.