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Raman V, Van Dessel N, Hall CL, Wetherby VE, Whitney SA, Kolewe EL, Bloom SMK, Sharma A, Hardy JA, Bollen M, Van Eynde A, Forbes NS. Intracellular delivery of protein drugs with an autonomously lysing bacterial system reduces tumor growth and metastases. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6116. [PMID: 34675204 PMCID: PMC8531320 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26367-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Critical cancer pathways often cannot be targeted because of limited efficiency crossing cell membranes. Here we report the development of a Salmonella-based intracellular delivery system to address this challenge. We engineer genetic circuits that (1) activate the regulator flhDC to drive invasion and (2) induce lysis to release proteins into tumor cells. Released protein drugs diffuse from Salmonella containing vacuoles into the cellular cytoplasm where they interact with their therapeutic targets. Control of invasion with flhDC increases delivery over 500 times. The autonomous triggering of lysis after invasion makes the platform self-limiting and prevents drug release in healthy organs. Bacterial delivery of constitutively active caspase-3 blocks the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma and lung metastases, and increases survival in mice. This success in targeted killing of cancer cells provides critical evidence that this approach will be applicable to a wide range of protein drugs for the treatment of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishnu Raman
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
- Ernest Pharmaceuticals, LLC, Hadley, MA, USA
| | - Nele Van Dessel
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
- Ernest Pharmaceuticals, LLC, Hadley, MA, USA
| | - Christopher L Hall
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
- Ernest Pharmaceuticals, LLC, Hadley, MA, USA
| | | | - Samantha A Whitney
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Emily L Kolewe
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Shoshana M K Bloom
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Abhinav Sharma
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Jeanne A Hardy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
- Molecular and Cell Biology Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
- Institute for Applied Life Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Mathieu Bollen
- Laboratory of Biosignaling & Therapeutics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Aleyde Van Eynde
- Laboratory of Biosignaling & Therapeutics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Neil S Forbes
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA.
- Ernest Pharmaceuticals, LLC, Hadley, MA, USA.
- Molecular and Cell Biology Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA.
- Institute for Applied Life Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA.
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Abstract
This article presents an outcome study of the Family Rehabilitation Program (FRP), a unique network of community-based programs in New York City that provides comprehensive services to families with drug-dependent parents, most caring for prenatally cocaine-exposed newborns. An admission sample of 173 mothers in 17 FRP sites was studied for one year; substance use was assessed by hair analysis and self-report. Mean length of retention was 10 months; half the clients were still active in the program at follow-up. Mothers completing or still active in FRP had higher rates of abstinence and substantially lower average levels of cocaine in their hair at follow-up than those exiting prematurely. The percent of families with children out of their homes did not increase significantly between admission and follow-up, and completing or remaining active in the program were associated with less out-of-home placement at follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Magura
- National Development and Research Institutes, New York, NY 10048, USA.
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