A bacterial toxin as a novel anti-cancer drug modulating the tumor-microenvironmentShow others and affiliations
2025 (English)In: Cell Death and Disease, E-ISSN 2041-4889, Vol. 16, no 1, article id 874
Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Colorectal cancer (CRC), the third-most prevalent and second deadliest cancer, requires new therapeutic strategies due to the significant side effects of current treatments. We investigated the anticancer properties of MakA, a cytotoxin from Vibrio cholerae, administered systemically in a mouse model, with a focus on its impact on the tumor microenvironment (TME) and immune cell infiltration. Our findings demonstrate that MakA administration is non-toxic and does not cause systemic tissue damage. It increases immune cell abundance in the TME, suppresses tumor growth, promotes cancer cell apoptosis, and enhances leukocyte recruitment and activation. Elevated neutrophil and macrophage densities were associated with increased production of pro-inflammatory mediators with anti-neoplastic properties. These findings highlight MakA’s potential as a targeted, less harmful CRC therapy by modulating the TME immune response.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Springer Nature, 2025. Vol. 16, no 1, article id 874
National Category
Cell and Molecular Biology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-247625DOI: 10.1038/s41419-025-08219-2ISI: 001629182500003PubMedID: 41326332Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105023452359OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-247625DiVA, id: diva2:2022476
Funder
Umeå UniversityThe Kempe Foundations, SMK-1963The Kempe Foundations, SMK 21-0024Swedish Research Council, 2022-00981Swedish Cancer Society, 2017-419Swedish Cancer Society, 2020-7112025-12-172025-12-172025-12-17Bibliographically approved