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Updated: Feb 11, 2026

Cerenkov Luminescence Imaging CLI for Cancer Therapy Monitoring
Published on: November 13, 2012
Potentiating bacterial cancer therapy using hydroxychloroquine liposomes
Ying Wang1, Zixuan Zhou1, Wenfei Chen1
1Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting and Drug Delivery Systems, Ministry of Education, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
Salmonella VNP20009 inhibits tumor growth in preclinical models but its efficacy in humans is limited, potentially because cells mount an autophagy response that destroys the therapeutic bacteria. To neutralize this protective response, we combined VNP20009 with long-circulating liposomes containing the autophagy arrest agent hydroxychloroquine. This combination was associated with significantly larger numbers of intracellular Salmonella, accumulated autophagic vacuoles and much greater cell death in vitro. The combination was also associated with greater tumor-targeting ability, slower tumor growth and longer survival than free hydroxychloroquine in a murine model of melanoma. Our results suggest that combining tumor-targeting Salmonella with autophagy arrest may be effective for treating highly aggressive melanoma.
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