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Bacterial toxins as immunomodulatory agents in cancer therapy

Kantrol Kumar Sahu1, N Saleem Basha2, Madhulika Pradhan3

  • 1Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, GLA University, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh 281406, India.

Biochemical Pharmacology
|September 8, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Bacterial toxins are repurposed as targeted cancer therapies, offering high specificity and reduced side effects compared to traditional chemotherapy. This review explores their potential in precision oncology.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Immunology
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Bacterial toxins, traditionally pathogens, are now investigated as targeted anticancer agents.
  • Traditional chemotherapy faces limitations due to lack of specificity and severe side effects on healthy tissues.
  • Bacterial toxins offer high specificity for cancer cells, minimizing damage to healthy tissues.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review emerging trends in bacterial-derived toxins for cancer therapy.
  • To explore immuno-modular designs for enhanced target specificity.
  • To discuss drug delivery applications, extracellular vesicles, and clinical translation challenges.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of current literature on bacterial toxins in cancer therapy.
  • Analysis of immuno-modular design strategies utilizing antibodies, affibodies, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), and cytokines.
  • Examination of bacterial extracellular vesicles for targeted drug delivery.

Main Results:

  • Bacterial toxins demonstrate significant potential as targeted anticancer therapeutics.
  • Immuno-modular designs enhance specificity and efficacy of bacterial toxin-based therapies.
  • Bacterial extracellular vesicles show promise for targeted drug delivery in cancer treatment.

Conclusions:

  • Bacterial toxins represent a paradigm shift in cancer therapy, moving towards precision oncology.
  • Further research and clinical translation are needed to fully realize the potential of bacterial toxin-based immunotherapies.
  • Repurposing bacterial components offers a novel strategy for effective cancer treatment.
Keywords:
Bacterial toxinsCancer immunotherapyImmunotoxinsTargeted cancer therapyTranslational medicine

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