Intratumoral microbial heterogeneity in HCC reveals a potential therapeutic target

This study provides scientific evidence supporting the existence and biological relevance of intratumoral microbiota in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), identifying Ralstonia sp. as a potential antitumor bacterium. By integrating microbiome, metabolomics, and transcriptomic analyses with functional validation, the findings reveal that Ralstonia sp. modulates the tumor microenvironment by regulating glycerophospholipid metabolism and immune cell infiltration. These results are significant for cancer microbiome researchers, oncologists, and translational scientists, highlighting microbial heterogeneity as a previously underrecognized factor in HCC biology. Clinically, the study lays the groundwork for the development of microbiota-based therapeutic strategies or biomarkers, though further mechanistic and translational studies are warranted to evaluate feasibility and safety in human settings.