Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 8, 2026
11:12
Immunometabolic Circuits in Infection for Advancing Host Directed Therapies
Published on: September 13, 2024
844
Engineering microbes to modulate innate immune signaling: strategies for host-microbe interactions
Shanna Bonanno1, Neel S Joshi2
1Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America.
Current Opinion in Microbiology
|December 23, 2025
Summary
Engineered probiotics can precisely modulate the innate immune system for therapeutic benefit. This review explores four strategies for developing advanced microbial immunomodulators for treating diseases.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- The human gut microbiome and mucosal immune system maintain homeostasis.
- Dysregulation of this interaction is linked to diseases.
- Engineered microbes offer therapeutic potential but require enhanced precision.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review strategies for engineering probiotics to modulate innate immunity.
- To address the need for more precise and reliable microbial therapeutics.
Main Methods:
- Direct immune cell engagement via surface display.
- Production of soluble immune effectors.
- Extracellular vesicle-mediated delivery of immunomodulators.
- Environmentally responsive systems for controlled immune modulation.
Main Results:
- Four distinct strategies for engineered probiotics to modulate innate immunity are presented.
- These approaches leverage pattern recognition receptors and innate immune sensing.
Conclusions:
- Engineered probiotics can be developed as dynamic, context-aware immunomodulators.
- Integrating microbial engineering with mucosal immunology is key for therapeutic advancement.
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