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Bacteriophages and cancer

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Abstract

Bacteriophages can be used effectively to cure bacterial infections. They are known to be active against bacteria but inactive against eukaryotic cells. Nevertheless, novel observations suggest that phages are not neutral for higher organisms. They can affect physiological and immunological processes which may be crucial to their expected positive effects in therapies. Bacteriophages are a very differentiated group of viruses and at least some of them can influence cancer processes. Phages may also affect the immunological system. In general, they activate the immunological response, for example cytokine secretion. They can also switch the tumor microenvironment to one advantageous for anticancer treatment. On the other hand, bacteriophages are used as a platform for foreign peptides that may induce anticancer effects. As bacterial debris can interfere with bacteriophage activity, phage purification is significant for the final effect of a phage preparation. In this review, results of the influence of bacteriophages on cancer processes are presented which have implications for the perspective application of phage therapy in patients with cancer and the general understanding of the role of bacteriophages in the human organism.

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Abbreviations

BM-DCs:

 Bone marrow-derived dendritic cells

DCs:

Dendritic cells

IFN:

Interferon

IL:

Interleukin

LPS:

Lipopolysaccharides

MAGE:

Melanoma-associated antigens

MMPs:

Metalloproteinase

scFv:

Single-chain Fv

sLeX:

Sialyl Lewis X protein

TAMs:

Tumor-associated macrophages

TNF:

Tumor necrosis factor

VEGF:

Vascular endothelial growth factor

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by EU Structural Funds (Operational Program Innovative Economy “Optimization of characteristics and preparing of bacteriophage preparations for therapeutic purposes”) and the Polish Ministry of Science (grant no. N N401 1305 33 and no. N N401 417236).

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, R. Weigla 12, 53-114, Wroclaw, Poland

    Paulina Budynek, Krystyna Dąbrowska, Grzegorz Skaradziński & Andrzej Górski

  2. Institute of Transplantology, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowogrodzka 59, 02-006, Warsaw, Poland

    Andrzej Górski

Authors
  1. Paulina Budynek
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  2. Krystyna Dąbrowska
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  3. Grzegorz Skaradziński
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  4. Andrzej Górski
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Correspondence to Paulina Budynek.

Additional information

Communicated by Erko Stackebrandt.

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Budynek, P., Dąbrowska, K., Skaradziński, G. et al. Bacteriophages and cancer. Arch Microbiol 192, 315–320 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-010-0559-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-010-0559-7

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