Microwave‐Activated Bacterial Biorobot for Multimodal Cancer Therapy
Advances in synthetic biology have enabled innovative strategies for cancer therapy, yet precise control of therapeutic expression and biosafety remain critical challenges. To address these issues, a bacterial hybrid biorobot is developed using Escherichia coli (MG1655) engineered for localized activation by microwaves. Upon activation, the biorobot expresses glucose oxidase (GOx) at tumor sites, leading to glucose depletion and hydrogen peroxide generation. Surface-attached Cu<sub>2</sub>O nanoparticles catalyze this hydrogen peroxide through a Fenton-like reaction, producing reactive oxygen species that drive multiple forms of tumor cell death, including apoptosis, ferroptosis, and cuproptosis. Comprehensive in vitro and in vivo studies confirm the efficacy of this approach, while transcriptomic analysis reveals disruption of glucose metabolism and robust activation of antitumor immune responses. This work demonstrates the potential of this engineered bacterial platform as a safe and versatile tool for precise, multimodal cancer treatment.
Authors
- Xuemei Zeng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4885-4788)
- Qi Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9063-6819)
- Yajuan Fu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9461-7030)
- Yongjian Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4975-452X)
- Dangjin Ke
- Sijie Shao
- Shuangqian Yan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7306-7265)
- Yuanchun Chen
- Huilan Zhuang
- Panpan Xue
Institutions
- Fujian Normal University (CN)
- Harbin Medical University (CN)
- Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University (CN)
- Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University (CN)
- First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Advanced Science
- Published
- 2025-08-11
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202504603
- Primary Topic
- Cancer Research and Treatments
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Fujian Normal University