A Pathogenic Gut Fungus Drives Metabolic Steatotic Liver Cancer Through Kynurenic Acid Production
Rhizopus arrhizus emerges as a key fungal driver of metabolic steatotic liver cancer. Its conditioned medium boosts proliferation of human tumor cells, while kynurenic acid produced by the fungus promotes tumor growth in mice. Kynurenic acid binds IQGAP1 and activates MAPK signaling, revealing a pathogenic host–fungus interaction that may be therapeutically targeted to suppress disease progression.