Cancer therapy Combining Bacteria and Viruses Shows Promise
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Researchers at Columbia Engineering have built a cancer therapy that makes bacteria and viruses work as a team. In a study published recently in Nature Biomedical Engineering, the Synthetic biological Systems Lab shows how their system hides a virus inside a tumor-seeking bacterium, smuggles it past the immune system, and unleashes it inside cancerous tumors.
Harnessing the Power of Bacteria and viruses
The new platform combines the bacteria’s tendency to find and attack tumors with the virus’s natural preference for infecting and killing cancerous cells. Tal Danino, an associate professor of biomedical engineering at Columbia Engineering, led the team’s effort to create the system, which is called CAPPSID (short for Coordinated activity of Prokaryote and Picornavirus for Safe Intracellular Delivery). Charles M. Rice, an expert in virology at The Rockefeller University, collaborated with the Columbia team.
“We aimed to enhance bacterial cancer therapy by enabling the bacteria to deliver and activate a therapeutic virus directly inside tumor cells, while engineering safeguards to limit viral spread outside the tumor,” says co-lead author Jonathan pabón, an MD/PhD candidate at Columbia.
How CAPPSID Works
CAPPSID leverages the natural abilities of both bacteria and viruses. Certain bacteria are naturally attracted to the unique surroundings of tumors, allowing them to accumulate within cancerous tissue. Viruses, on the other hand, are adept at infecting cells and replicating, often leading to cell death. The challenge with using viruses directly for cancer therapy is the immune system’s rapid response, which can neutralize the virus before it reaches the tumor.
CAPPSID overcomes this challenge by essentially “hiding” the virus inside the bacteria. The bacteria act as a Trojan horse, delivering the virus directly to the tumor site and shielding it from the immune system. Once inside the tumor,the virus is released to infect and destroy cancer cells.
Engineered Safeguards
A crucial aspect of CAPPSID is the inclusion of engineered safeguards to prevent the virus from spreading beyond the tumor. researchers have incorporated genetic controls that limit viral replication to the tumor microenvironment, minimizing the risk of systemic infection. This is a significant improvement over customary viral therapies, which often face challenges with off-target effects.
validation in Mice
The researchers validated the CAPPSID system in mice with promising results. The therapy demonstrated effective tumor reduction and minimal side effects. This preclinical success suggests that CAPPSID has the potential to be a safe and effective cancer treatment.
Future Directions
The team is now working to optimize CAPPSID for use in humans. This includes refining the bacterial and viral components, and also developing strategies to target specific types of cancer. Further research will focus on understanding the long-term effects of the therapy and identifying potential biomarkers to predict patient response.
Key Takeaways
- CAPPSID combines bacterial tumor-seeking abilities with viral cancer-killing properties.
- The system delivers viruses directly to tumors, bypassing the immune system.
- Engineered safeguards limit viral spread, enhancing safety.
- Preclinical studies in mice show promising results.
This innovative approach represents a significant step forward in cancer therapy,offering a potentially more targeted and effective treatment option.The collaboration between experts in bacterial engineering and virology highlights the power of interdisciplinary research in tackling complex medical challenges.