Bacteria-Based Synergistic Therapy in the Backdrop of Synthetic Biology

Although the synergistic effect of traditional therapies combined with tumor targeting or immunotherapy can significantly reduce mortality, cancer remains the leading cause of disease related death to date. Limited clinical response rate, drug resistance and off-target effects, to a large extent, impede the ceilings of clinical efficiency. To get out from the dilemmas mentioned, bacterial therapy with a history of more than 150 years regained great concern in recent years. The rise of biological engineering and chemical modification strategies are able to optimize tumor bacterial therapy in highest measure, and meanwhile avoid its inherent drawbacks toward clinical application such as bacteriotoxic effects, weak controllability, and low security. Here, we give an overview of recent studies with regard to bacteria-mediated therapies combined with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. And more than that, we review the bacterial detoxification and targeting strategies via biological reprogramming or chemical modification, their applications, and clinical transformation prospects.

Automated summary

Cancer is still the leading cause of disease related death, despite the potential of traditional therapies combined with tumor targeting or immunotherapy. Bacterial therapy, which has a long history, has regained attention recently, and can be optimized through biological engineering and chemical modification strategies to improve clinical efficiency and safety. This review summarizes recent studies on bacteria-mediated therapies combined with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy, as well as bacterial detoxification and targeting strategies, applications, and clinical transformation prospects.