Modified Bacteriophage for Tumor Detection and Targeted Therapy

Malignant tumor is one of the leading causes of death in human beings. In recent years, bacteriophages (phages), a natural bacterial virus, have been genetically engineered for use as a probe for the detection of antigens that are highly expressed in tumor cells and as an anti-tumor reagent. Furthermore, phages can also be chemically modified and assembled with a variety of nanoparticles to form a new organic/inorganic composite, thus extending the application of phages in biological detection and tumor therapeutic. This review summarizes the studies on genetically engineered and chemically modified phages in the diagnosis and targeting therapy of tumors in recent years. We discuss the advantages and limitations of modified phages in practical applications and propose suitable application scenarios based on these modified phages.

Automated summary

Malignant tumor is a major cause of human death. Recently, genetically engineered bacteriophages have been used as probes for detecting highly expressed antigens in tumor cells and as anti-tumor agents. Moreover, phages can be chemically modified and assembled with nanoparticles to expand their applications in biological detection and tumor therapy. This review summarizes the studies on genetically engineered and chemically modified phages in the diagnosis and targeting therapy of tumors, discusses their advantages and limitations, and proposes suitable application scenarios.