BIRMINGHAM: Scientists at the University of Birmingham and the University of Glasgow have made a groundbreaking discovery that could transform the treatment of bowel cancer, the UK’s second leading cause of cancer-related deaths.
The study, published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, highlights a breakthrough in bacterial cancer therapy. While Salmonella is typically associated with food poisoning, researchers have found a way to harness its properties to target cancer cells without harming the immune system.
Bacterial treatments for cancer have been under exploration for decades due to their ability to starve tumours of vital nutrients. However, their effectiveness has been limited as they often suppress T cells, critical immune cells responsible for attacking cancer.
The research team identified that Salmonella depletes an amino acid called asparagine, which is essential for T cell activation. Without sufficient asparagine, T cells fail to function effectively, allowing cancer cells to grow unchecked.
To overcome this obstacle, the scientists propose genetically modifying Salmonella so it no longer depletes asparagine. This adjustment would allow T cells to maintain their metabolic processes and attack cancer cells alongside the bacterial therapy.
“Bacterial therapies are an exciting way to treat cancer by essentially starving tumours of vital nutrients,” said Dr. Alastair Copland, a research fellow in immunology at the University of Birmingham. “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.”
Dr. Kendle Maslowski of the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute added, “We know attenuated Salmonella and other bacteria have the power to tackle cancer. Our research has discovered that it is an amino acid called asparagine that the bacteria attacks, which is essential for T cells to be activated. This knowledge could enable bacteria to be engineered not to attack asparagine, allowing T cells to act against tumour cells.”
Colorectal cancer is responsible for around 16,800 deaths annually in the UK, with Scotland disproportionately affected, recording approximately 4,000 new cases each year, according to a press release.
Dr. Catherine Elliott, Director of Research at Cancer Research UK, hailed the discovery as a potential game-changer. “Bacterial therapies have not become mainstream despite massive strides in immunotherapies. This exciting development could lead to more effective treatments for patients with colorectal and other cancers in the future.”
