fig2

Figure 2. Possible overview of microbiota in the TME of bladder cancer. Extracellular microbiota may directly influence tumor cells through metabolites^[53] or ECM remodeling^[54]. Gut microbiota is able to produce a remote effect through systemic microbial metabolites^[55-58]. Furthermore, the microbiota can interplay with the immune compartment in the TME and result in immunomodulation^[59]. Notably, the intracellular microbiota may influence the gene expression or intracellular signal pathways to manipulate the behavior of tumor cells^[52]. The blue metabolites refer to the systemic microbiota metabolites. ECM: Extracellular matrix; TME: tumor microenvironment.