The Technology
Cancer immunotherapy is associated with on-target, off-tumor cytotoxicity or immune-related adverse events. Thus, light-based techniques, optogenetics, could allow “remote control” of immune responses within the body. Harnessing synthetic biology, optogenetics, the use of light to control the activity of specific photosensitive genes in-vivo, might eventually boost cancer immunotherapy’s effectiveness. The developed technology is a novel approach for developing engineered probiotic bacteria and gene circuits activated by red light and locally and controllably release specific nano-bodies to solid tumors. Since bacterial cells will selectively colonize unhealthy regimes in the colon, their survival can be used as the natural platform for detecting tumors. In particular, these circuits will create a real-time and spatial control of tumor targeting by locally and precisely delivering nanobodies. These blocking nanobodies activate and improve the ability of the immune system to attack cancer cells. The developed technology is based on a novel design of a bio-sensor system that includes two major modules as follows: (i) construction of optical-responsive engineered bio-sensor that is switched on by infrared (705 nm) light and off by red (650 nm) light and (ii) therapeutic molecular release nanobodies, aimed to build a genetic switch. In addition, theraupetic bacterial cells will be fluorescent to guide to the unhealthy sites in the colon.
Advantages
- Novel synthetic optogenetic system
- Integrating optical-responsive engineered bio-sensor and therapeutic molecular release nanobodies
Applications
- Cancer immuno-therapy
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