Latent Microsporidia Infection Prevalence as a Risk Factor in Colon Cancer Patients

Microsporidia are opportunistic intracellular parasites, generating serious pathology in individuals with a compromised immune system. Infection by microsporidia inhibits p53 and Caspase 3, proteins involved in apoptosis and the cell cycle, which are vital in the malignant process of epithelial cells. The presence of microsporidia in the intestinal tissues of 87 colon cancer (CC) patients and 25 healthy controls was analyzed by real-time PCR and an immunofluorescence antibody test. Anti-Encephalitozoon antibodies were analyzed in serum samples by ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay). In 36 (41.3%) CC cases, microsporidia infections were identified in their tissues vs. no cases among control subjects (p < 0.0001). An increase in IgG and IgE anti-Encephalitozoon antibodies was found in patients with CC, which would demonstrate continuous and previous contact with the parasite. The high prevalence of microsporidia in tissues and the seroprevalence in patients with CC suggest a relationship between microsporidia and the etiopathogenesis of CC.