1
|
Islam MS, Fan J, Pan F. The power of phages: revolutionizing cancer treatment. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1290296. [PMID: 38033486 PMCID: PMC10684691 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1290296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a devastating disease with a high global mortality rate and is projected to increase further in the coming years. Current treatment options, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, have limitations including side effects, variable effectiveness, high costs, and limited availability. There is a growing need for alternative treatments that can target cancer cells specifically with fewer side effects. Phages, that infect bacteria but not eukaryotic cells, have emerged as promising cancer therapeutics due to their unique properties, including specificity and ease of genetic modification. Engineered phages can transform cancer treatment by targeting cancer cells while sparing healthy ones. Phages exhibit versatility as nanocarriers, capable of delivering therapeutic agents like gene therapy, immunotherapy, and vaccines. Phages are extensively used in vaccine development, with filamentous, tailed, and icosahedral phages explored for different antigen expression possibilities. Engineered filamentous phages bring benefits such as built in adjuvant properties, cost-effectiveness, versatility in multivalent formulations, feasibility of oral administration, and stability. Phage-based vaccines stimulate the innate immune system by engaging pattern recognition receptors on antigen-presenting cells, enhancing phage peptide antigen presentation to B-cells and T-cells. This review presents recent phage therapy advances and challenges in cancer therapy, exploring its versatile tools and vaccine potential.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Md. Sharifull Islam
- Center for Cancer Immunology, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jie Fan
- Department of Cardiology, Handan Central Hospital, Handan, Hebei, China
| | - Fan Pan
- Center for Cancer Immunology, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Mohammad Hasani S, Ghafouri E, Kouhpayeh S, Amerizadeh F, Rahimmanesh I, Amirkhani Z, Khanahmad H. Phage based vaccine: A novel strategy in prevention and treatment. Heliyon 2023; 9:e19925. [PMID: 37809683 PMCID: PMC10559356 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The vaccine was first developed in 1796 by a British physician, Edward Jenner, against the smallpox virus. This invention revolutionized medical science and saved lives around the world. The production of effective vaccines requires dominant immune epitopes to elicit a robust immune response. Thus, applying bacteriophages has attracted the attention of many researchers because of their advantages in vaccine design and development. Bacteriophages are not infectious to humans and are unlikely to bind to cellular receptors and activate signaling pathways. Phages could activate both cellular and humoral immunity, which is another goal of an effective vaccine design. Also, phages act as an effective adjuvant, along with the antigens, and induce a robust immune response. Phage-based vaccines can also be administered orally because of their stability in the gastrointestinal tract, in contrast to common vaccination routes, which are intradermal, subcutaneous, or intramuscular. This review presents the current improvements in phage-based vaccines and their applications as preventive or therapeutic vaccines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sharareh Mohammad Hasani
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Elham Ghafouri
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Shirin Kouhpayeh
- Erythron Genetics and Pathobiology Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Forouzan Amerizadeh
- Department of Neurology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Ilnaz Rahimmanesh
- Applied Physiology Research Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Zohre Amirkhani
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Hossein Khanahmad
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ragothaman M, Yoo SY. Engineered Phage-Based Cancer Vaccines: Current Advances and Future Directions. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11050919. [PMID: 37243023 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11050919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages have emerged as versatile tools in the field of bioengineering, with enormous potential in tissue engineering, vaccine development, and immunotherapy. The genetic makeup of phages can be harnessed for the development of novel DNA vaccines and antigen display systems, as they can provide a highly organized and repetitive presentation of antigens to immune cells. Bacteriophages have opened new possibilities for the targeting of specific molecular determinants of cancer cells. Phages can be used as anticancer agents and carriers of imaging molecules and therapeutics. In this review, we explored the role of bacteriophages and bacteriophage engineering in targeted cancer therapy. The question of how the engineered bacteriophages can interact with the biological and immunological systems is emphasized to comprehend the underlying mechanism of phage use in cancer immunotherapy. The effectiveness of phage display technology in identifying high-affinity ligands for substrates, such as cancer cells and tumor-associated molecules, and the emerging field of phage engineering and its potential in the development of effective cancer treatments are discussed. We also highlight phage usage in clinical trials as well as the related patents. This review provides a new insight into engineered phage-based cancer vaccines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Murali Ragothaman
- BIO-IT Foundry Technology Institute, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - So Young Yoo
- BIO-IT Foundry Technology Institute, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Abstract
Bacteriophages have been explored for their uses in vaccine development, due to the ease of propagation while displaying epitopes in high density. Bacteriophage T7 has been demonstrated to be useful in the production of potential vaccine candidates for various diseases, including influenza A, foot-and mouth disease (FMD), and cancers. In this chapter, we described the use of phage T7 to display potential foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) epitope, from cloning to expression, purification, and immunization in a mouse model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Loo Wong
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Chean Yeah Yong
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Khai Wooi Lee
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
González-Mora A, Hernández-Pérez J, Iqbal HMN, Rito-Palomares M, Benavides J. Bacteriophage-Based Vaccines: A Potent Approach for Antigen Delivery. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8030504. [PMID: 32899720 PMCID: PMC7565293 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8030504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccines are considered one of the most important bioproducts in medicine. Since the development of the smallpox vaccine in 1796, several types of vaccines for many diseases have been created. However, some vaccines have shown limitations as high cost and low immune responses. In that regard, bacteriophages have been proposed as an attractive alternative for the development of more cost-effective vaccines. Phage-displayed vaccines consists in the expression of antigens on the phage surface. This approach takes advantage of inherent properties of these particles such as their adjuvant capacity, economic production and high stability, among others. To date, three types of phage-based vaccines have been developed: phage-displayed, phage DNA and hybrid phage-DNA vaccines. Typically, phage display technology has been used for the identification of new and protective epitopes, mimotopes and antigens. In this context, phage particles represent a versatile, effective and promising alternative for the development of more effective vaccine delivery systems which should be highly exploited in the future. This review describes current advances in the development of bacteriophage-based vaccines, with special attention to vaccine delivery strategies. Moreover, the immunological aspects of phage-based vaccines, as well as the applications of phage display for vaccine development, are explored. Finally, important challenges and the future of phage-bases vaccines are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro González-Mora
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey, N.L. 64849, Mexico; (A.G.-M.); (J.H.-P.); (H.M.N.I.)
| | - Jesús Hernández-Pérez
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey, N.L. 64849, Mexico; (A.G.-M.); (J.H.-P.); (H.M.N.I.)
| | - Hafiz M. N. Iqbal
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey, N.L. 64849, Mexico; (A.G.-M.); (J.H.-P.); (H.M.N.I.)
| | - Marco Rito-Palomares
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ave. Morones Prieto 3000 Pte, Monterrey, N.L. 64710, Mexico;
| | - Jorge Benavides
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey, N.L. 64849, Mexico; (A.G.-M.); (J.H.-P.); (H.M.N.I.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +52-(81)-8358-2000 (ext. 4821)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Asadi-Ghalehni M, Rasaee MJ, RajabiBazl M, Khosravani M, Motaghinejad M, Javanmardi M, Khalili S, Modjtahedi H, Sadroddiny E. A novel recombinant anti-epidermal growth factor receptor peptide vaccine capable of active immunization and reduction of tumor volume in a mouse model. Microbiol Immunol 2017; 61:531-538. [PMID: 29023946 DOI: 10.1111/1348-0421.12547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Revised: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/08/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Over-expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been reported in a number of human malignancies. Strong expression of this receptor has been associated with poor survival in many such patients. Active immunizations that elicit antibodies of the desired type could be an appealing alternative to conventional passive immunization. In this regard, a novel recombinant peptide vaccine capable of prophylactic and therapeutic effects was constructed. A novel fusion recombinant peptide base vaccine consisting of L2 domain of murine extra-cellular domain-EGFR and EGFR mimotope (EM-L2) was constructed and its prophylactic and therapeutic effects in a Lewis lung carcinoma mouse (C57/BL6) model evaluated. Constructed recombinant peptide vaccine is capable of reacting with anti-EGFR antibodies. Immunization of mice with EM-L2 peptide resulted in antibody production against EM-L2. The constructed recombinant peptide vaccine reduced tumor growth and increased the survival rate. Designing effective peptide vaccines could be an encouraging strategy in contemporary cancer immunotherapy. Investigating the efficacy of such cancer immunotherapy approaches may open exciting possibilities concerning hyperimmunization, leading to more promising effects on tumor regression and proliferation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Majid Asadi-Ghalehni
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohamad Javad Rasaee
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoumeh RajabiBazl
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masood Khosravani
- Department of Nanomedicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Majid Motaghinejad
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoud Javanmardi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saeed Khalili
- Department of Laboratory Sciences, School of Paramedical, Dezful University of Medical Sciences, Dezful, Iran
| | - Helmout Modjtahedi
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing, Kingston University, London, UK
| | - Esmaeil Sadroddiny
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Asadi-Ghalehni M, Ghaemmaghami M, Klimka A, Javanmardi M, Navari M, Rasaee MJ. Cancer immunotherapy by a recombinant phage vaccine displaying EGFR mimotope: an in vivo study. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol 2015; 37:274-9. [PMID: 25990849 DOI: 10.3109/08923973.2015.1027917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
To date, several small molecule inhibitors and monoclonal-antibodies (like ICR-62) have been used to treat tumors over-expressing epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). However, the limitations associated with these conventional applications accentuate the necessity of alternative approaches. Mimotopes as compelling molecular tools could rationally be employed to circumvent these drawbacks. In the present study, an M13 phage displaying ICR-62 binding peptide mimotope is exploited as a vaccine candidate. It exhibited high affinity towards ICR62 and polyclonal anti-P-BSA antibodies. Following the mice immunization, phage-based mimotope vaccine induced humoral immunity. Elicited anti-EGFR mimotope antibodies were detected using ELISA method. Moreover, the phage vaccine was tested on the Lewis lung carcinoma mice model to investigate the prophylactic and therapeutic effects. The tumor volume was measured and recorded in different animal groups to evaluate the anti-tumor effects of the vaccine. Our data indicate that the reported phage-based mimotope could potentially elicit specific antibodies resulting in low titers of EGFR-specific antibodies and reduced tumor growth. However, in vivo experiments of prophylactic or therapeutic vaccination showed no specific advantage. Furthermore, phage-mimotope vaccine might be a promising approach in the field of cancer immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Majid Asadi-Ghalehni
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University , Tehran , Iran and
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|