If a tumor is likened to an indestructible “fortress”, then oncolytic bacteria can be regarded as fearless “warriors” launching an assault. Once the attack command is given, these “oncolytic bacterial warriors” act in an orderly and coordinated manner, launching a fierce offensive that ultimately breaches the “tumor fortress”.
The hypoxic and immunosuppressive microenvironment within solid tumors severely hinders the infiltration of drug molecules and immune effector cells, posing a major challenge to the eradication of malignant solid tumors. However, certain unique oncolytic bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Listeria, can precisely target these hypoxic and immunosuppressive regions. By activating the innate immune system, these bacteria demonstrate promising antitumor potential.
Leveraging the principles of synthetic biology, scientists have engineered and reprogrammed bacteria into “intelligent living drug factories” capable of precisely controlled, on-demand, and efficient in situ production and delivery of multiple antitumor drugs. This innovative approach offers a new perspective on cancer treatment. However, a key challenge remains in the application of engineered oncolytic bacteria: how to achieve dynamic balance and precise spatiotemporal control of therapeutic protein expression within the complex physiological environment. Therefore, developing a precise regulatory system that enables remote control of bacterial gene expression has become an urgent need and a critical breakthrough for ensuring safe and effective treatment.
On March 17, the research team led by Haifeng Ye and Ningzi Guan from the School of Life Sciences, ECNU published their findings in Nature Cancer in a study titled “Engineered bacteria for near-infrared light-inducible expression of cancer therapeutics.” This research successfully developed oncolytic bacteria responsive to near-infrared light, providing a novel strategy for solid tumor therapy.
Link: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43018-025-00932-3
A Research Briefing accompanying this publication in Nature Cancer highly commended this breakthrough. The journal’s editors strongly praised this research, stating, “This study stands out because it describes an ingenious near-infrared light-inducible bacterial gene expression strategy.” Professor Konstantin Sokolov from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center described the study as “a comprehensive study of the new bacteria-based living therapeutics for treatment of solid tumors,” and emphasized that “this manuscript provides a significant advancement in the field.”
Source：School of Life Sciences
Editor: Wicky
