Advances in the fight against cancer with bacterial vaccines

Científicos de la Universidad de Columbia han logrado desarrollar una vacuna contra el cáncer a base de bacterias; un enfoque novedoso apoyado en la modificación genética

A new cancer vaccine, based on genetically modified bacteria, was developed by a team of scientists at Columbia University.

Researchers have worked to harness the power of bacteria in an unusual way, only in tests on mice with colon cancer and melanoma, but with highly positive results.

The bacterial vaccine against cancer is the result of the genetic modification of a strain of the Escherichia coli bacteria to make it encode specific proteins of tumor cells. The scientists “introduced into its DNA the instructions for the bacteria to synthesize these proteins and display them on its surface.”

When the individual’s immune system attacks the bacteria, it triggers a response against it, “but also against those specific proteins of the tumor. Thus, when there are no more modified bacteria in the body, the body’s defenses will be ready to attack the tumor. They will have developed memory.”

Advantages of the bacterial vaccine against cancer

According to the team from Columbia University, there are three main advantages of this novel approach.

Firstly, it is a personalized vaccine, since the tumor cells that are taken are those of the patient himself to sequence his genetic material in search of those mutated genes that turn them into cancer.

Secondly, the vaccine “not only carries those specific proteins, known as antigens. It also carries in its DNA other modulators of the immune system that enhance its responses.”

Finally, the third advantage is the ability to inhibit the protective mechanisms of the bacteria against the immune system. In the event of an error that did not allow the tumor to be found, “the immune system would quickly remove the bacteria from circulation.”

Tests on mouse models with colon cancer and melanoma yielded good results, managing to slow the growth of the tumors and even their total elimination.

M.Pino

Source: hipertextual

(Reference image source: Getty Images for Unsplash)

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