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Salmonella Typhimurium as an Anticancer Therapy: Recent Advances and Perspectives

  • Microbial Anti-cancer Therapy and Prevention (PJF Rider, L Sweeny, and KG Kousoulas, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Clinical Microbiology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Bacteria were first conceived as potential cancer therapeutics in the nineteenth century. Since then, a wide range of advancements has been made especially in the advent of microbial engineering, particularly in the Salmonella Typhimurium serovar. Recent developments include attenuated profiles of Salmonella for safe delivery, as well as genetic engineering for targeting to cancerous tissue and improved efficacy for antitumor effects. This review provides a summary of recent advances in the field of Salmonella-mediated cancer therapy and implications for further clinical testing.

Recent Findings

A focus of recent Salmonella-mediated cancer therapies is genetic engineering of the bacteria for optimized tumor targeting and anticancer effects. Careful design has led to the use of attenuated Salmonella as drug delivery vehicles and tumor-targeting therapeutics with excellent safety and therapeutic efficacy in countless murine tumor models. Moreover, Salmonella has the potential for use as imaging and diagnostic tools that would improve patient prognosis through early awareness.

Summary

Here, we have detailed recent advances in the use of Salmonella as a therapy to combat cancer. Continued innovative and novel discovery in this field of study will yield a promising future for the use of Salmonella-mediated cancer therapies in cancer care.

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The images in this article were created using BioRender.

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This work was supported by College of Science Dean’s Discovery Fund from Virginia Tech to B.E.S.K.M.B. was supported by a Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) post-doctoral fellowship in microbiology.

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  1. U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 21010, USA

    Katherine M. Broadway

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences I, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA

    Birgit E. Scharf

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Broadway, K.M., Scharf, B.E. Salmonella Typhimurium as an Anticancer Therapy: Recent Advances and Perspectives. Curr Clin Micro Rpt 6, 225–239 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40588-019-00132-5

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