Scientists turn probiotic bacteria into tiny drug factories for pancreatic cancer
Engineered probiotic bacteria were able to infiltrate pancreatic tumors, stimulate cancer-fighting immune cells, and slow tumor growth in animal studies. Even more strikingly, the treatment worked better when combined with chemotherapy, radiation, or immunotherapy.
Pancreatic cancer, notoriously resistant to immunotherapy, has challenged researchers. The University of Chicago developed a novel approach using Bifidobacterium longum, a probiotic bacterium, to carry an immune-stimulating treatment directly into tumors. In animal models, BifidoSumIL-2, an engineered strain of Bifidobacterium, slowed pancreatic tumor growth by selectively activating T cells.
When combined with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or immunotherapy, BifidoSumIL-2 showed greater potential in improving treatment outcomes. This development highlights the promising prospects of utilizing probiotics as drug delivery systems to enhance cancer treatment efficacy.
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