The next frontier of oncotherapy: accomplishing clinical translation of oncolytic bacteria through genetic engineering.
Future Microbiol
; 16: 341-368, 2021 03.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33754804
Lay abstract Side effects of chemotherapeutics are thought to often be a reflection of our inability to target these toxic substances to only cancer cells; hence, scientists have spent centuries searching for alternative treatments that would confine their actions to tumor cells, sparing healthy tissue. Unfortunately, the dense nature of tumor tissue along with altered blood vessels, that lead to diminished tumor tissue oxygenation, altered tissue pH and cellular metabolic inactivity or even cell death have proven challenging. Importantly, these barriers have contributed to local and even sometimes systemic suppression of the patient's immune system that can allow the tumor to grow and progress unchecked. While most non-cancer cells are inhibited by the local tumor environment, certain microbes, including some bacteria and viruses, are drawn to it, possessing a natural ability to selectively infect, colonize and eradicate solid tumors. These microbes may also restore the patient's immune balance. However, use of these microbes is not without its own problems; nevertheless, modern genetic engineering techniques could be implemented to develop customized, safe, effective bacteria with advantageous characteristics. The development and clinical translation of cancer-fighting bacteria would represent a shift in cancer therapeutics and would have ramifications that reach beyond medical efficacy into the realm of socioeconomics. This review seeks to marry the current field of oncolytic bacteria with the expanding field of modern bacterial genetic engineering techniques in prospect of such a therapeutic.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Temas:
Geral
/
Tipos_de_cancer
/
Outros_tipos
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Bactérias
/
Terapia Biológica
/
Engenharia Genética
/
Neoplasias
Limite:
Animals
/
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Future Microbiol
Assunto da revista:
MICROBIOLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Estados Unidos