An Alternative Thinking in Tumor Therapeutics: Living Yeast Armored with Silicate

A hybrid platform, constructed via the surface "armoring" of living yeasts by a manganese silicate compound (MS@Yeast), is investigated for combinational cancer treatment. The intrinsic characteristics of living yeasts, in both acidophilic and anaerobic conditions, empower the hybrid platform with activated selected colonization in tumors. While silicate particles are delivered in a targeting manner, yeast fermentation occurs at the cancerous region, inducing both alcohol and CO₂. The excessive content of alcohol causes the hemangiectasis of tumor tissue, facilitating the penetration of therapeutics into central tumors and subsequent endocytosis. The catalytic Mn²⁺ ions, released from silicate particles, react with CO₂ to induce forceful oxidative stress in tumor cells, ablating the primary tumors. More interestingly, the debris of sacrificed tumor cells and yeasts triggers considerable antitumor immune responses, rejecting both rechallenged and metastatic tumors. The integration of biologically active microorganisms and functional materials, illustrated in this study, provides distinctive perspectives in the exploration of potential therapeutics for tackling cancer.