Engineered bacteria for augmented tumor vaccination

• Published in: Biomaterials science 2023-02, Vol.11 (4), p.1137-1152
• Main Authors: Shen, Xinyuan, Zhu, Chaojie, Liu, Xutao, Zheng, Hanqi, Wu, Qing, Xie, Jijin, Huang, Hao, Liao, Ziyan, Shi, Jiaqi, Nan, Kewang, Wang, Junxia, Mao, Xuming, Gu, Zhen, Li, Hongjun
• Format: Article
• ISSN: 2047-4830; 2047-4849
• DOI: 10.1039/d2bm01593e

In situ tumor vaccination has aroused tremendous interest with its capability for eliciting strong and systemic antitumor immune responses. Unlike traditional cancer vaccines, in situ tumor vaccination avoids the laborious process of tumor antigen identification and can modulate tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment at the same time. In recent years, bacteria have been used as both efficient tumor-targeted delivery vehicles and potent adjuvants. Regarding the rapid development in this area, in this review, we summarize recent advances in the application of bacteria for in situ cancer vaccination. We illustrate the mechanisms of bacteria as both efficient tumor immunogenic cell death inducers and tumor-targeted delivery platforms. Then we comprehensively review the engineering strategies for designing bacteria-based in situ vaccination, including chemical modification, nanotechnology, and genetic engineering. The current dilemma and future directions are discussed at the end of this review. Engineered bacteria can be leveraged for in situ tumor vaccinations with their tumor-targeting ability and adjuvanticity. Engineering strategies like chemical modification, nanotechnology, and genetic engineering improve their safety and efficacy.