New research has found that salmonella, a disease-causing bacteria, could be genetically engineered to fight against bowel cancer, in a breakthrough study
The battle against bowel cancer has taken a surprising turn as scientists have discovered that salmonella, a disease typically associated with food poisoning, could be genetically engineered to fight the deadly disease. The groundbreaking study, funded by Cancer Research UK and conducted jointly by the University of Birmingham and the University of Glasgow, was described as “exciting” and “providing hope for patients” by Dr Catherine Elliott, director of research at Cancer Research UK.
The study’s first author, Dr Alastair Copland, a research fellow at the University of Birmingham, suggested that this discovery could “turn a disease-causing bug like salmonella into one that combats cancer”. However, he also noted that using the disease in cancer treatments has been a double-edged sword in the past, as it can also attack and disable the patient’s immune system.
He said: “One longstanding mystery has been why T cells, which are key to fighting cancer, don’t function optimally during this treatment. Now, we’ve identified the protein responsible for this, and pinpointed an exciting genetic target that could help us unleash the full potential of this therapy.”
The study’s findings revealed that the T cells in mice with bowel cancer responded to salmonella that had been genetically engineered. Consequently, the immune systems of these mice remained operational throughout their cancer treatment.
However, further studies are required to fully grasp the effects of salmonella and enhance the bacteria-based approach to cancer therapy. Commonly found in the intestines of animals like chickens, cows, and pigs, salmonella can contaminate a variety of foods from eggs and meat to produce that has come into contact with livestock or manure.
Typically, people infected by normal strains of salmonella can expect symptoms such as diarrhoea, stomach cramps, nausea, and vomiting to appear swiftly. The condition lasts between four to seven days and seldom posing a life-threatening risk.