A simple liposome-based bionic bacterium for tumor treatment by re-education of tumor-associated microphages in combination with chemotherapy

• Published in: Colloids and surfaces, B, Biointerfaces B, Biointerfaces, 2023-02, Vol.222, p.113069-113069, Article 113069
• Main Authors: Meng, Jian, Li, Lei, Xu, Ya, Wei, Xiangrong, Chen, Du, Chen, Congliang, Liu, Shuo, Wang, Ziyao, Shi, Guangwei, Wang, Shoupeng, Zhou, Xiaokai, Jiang, Liqun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Bacteria; Bionic bacterium; Bionics; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - drug therapy; Cell Line, Tumor; Doxorubicin - pharmacology; Doxorubicin - therapeutic use; Immunotherapy; Liposome; Liposomes; Liver Neoplasms - drug therapy; Mice; Nanoparticles; Staphylococcus aureus; Tumor associated macrophage; Tumor Microenvironment
• ISSN: 0927-7765; 1873-4367
• DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2022.113069

Re-education of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) into M1-like macrophages (Mφ1) has become one of the aims of tumor immunotherapy. Injection of live bacteria has been applied for this purpose; however, an acute innate immune response might be caused in this progress, and therefore a bacteria-based strategy with great security is needed. In this study, the bacterial walls of Staphylococcus aureus were inserted into the bilayer of liposome to construct liposome-based bionic bacteria (Bio-Bac), and doxorubicin (DOX) was encapsulated to form DOX@Bio-Bac. DOX@Bio-Bac re-educated the THP-1-derived TAMs into Mφ1 in vitro, and subsequently inhibited the migration and invasion of CAL27 cells. In a mouse model of hepatocellular carcinoma with lymphatic metastasis, the re-education of TAMs was proved, and an effective inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis in mice was observed. The liposome-based bionic bacteria constructed in this study provide a new strategy for re-education of TAMs, replacing the bacterial therapy reported previously, and a more effective anti-tumor effect can be obtained by combining the chemotherapy drugs with this bionic bacterium. [Display omitted] •The walls of S. aureus were inserted into bilayer of liposome to construct bionic bacteria.•The bionic bacteria can re-educate the TAMs into M1-like macrophages.•Doxorubicin was encapsulated in the bionic bacteria.•The growth and metastasis of tumor were effectively inhibited by the bionic bacteria in vivo.