Selectively Suppressing Tumor Angiogenesis for Targeted Breast Cancer Therapy by Genetically Engineered Phage

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Nanomedicine
• Oncology

Background:

• Antiangiogenesis therapy shows promise for cancer treatment but lacks tumor-homing capabilities.
• Angiogenin, a tumor-secreted protein driving angiogenesis, remains an unexplored therapeutic target.
• Current antiangiogenic agents lack specificity and tumor-homing properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer bacteriophage (phage) nanoparticles for targeted cancer therapy.
• To develop a system that homes to tumors and inhibits angiogenesis by targeting angiogenin.
• To create a universal, plug-and-play therapeutic platform for various cancers.

Main Methods:

• Genetic engineering of filamentous fd phage to display angiogenin-binding peptides and tumor-homing peptides.
• Utilizing phage display technology to discover and customize tumor-homing peptides for specific cancers.
• Developing phage nanoparticles capable of binding angiogenin and preventing tumor angiogenesis.

Main Results:

• Engineered phage nanoparticles demonstrated tumor-homing capabilities to orthotopic breast tumors.
• The phage nanoparticles successfully captured angiogenin, inhibiting tumor angiogenesis.
• The developed phage system functions as a universal therapeutic agent adaptable to different cancer types.

Conclusions:

• Engineered bacteriophages represent a novel, biocompatible nanofiber platform for targeted cancer therapy.
• This approach overcomes the limitations of current antiangiogenic agents by incorporating tumor-homing and angiogenin-binding functionalities.
• The "plug-and-play" nature of the phage system allows for customization against diverse cancers, offering a versatile therapeutic strategy.