Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine have made a breakthrough in developing live bacterial therapeutics (LBTs) to treat chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Current LBTs have limitations, as engineered bacteria do not survive in the gut environment, requiring frequent re-administration and producing inconsistent effects. To overcome this, the researchers used native bacteria in mice as the chassis for delivering transgenes, which induced persistent therapeutic changes in the gut. They engineered a strain of E. coli native to the host to express transgenes that affected its physiology, such as blood glucose levels. The modified bacteria engrafted throughout the gut, retained functionality, and improved blood glucose response for months. This approach has the potential to provide long-term therapy for chronic conditions and may be a relatively non-invasive, low-risk, and cost-effective option. The study’s findings demonstrate the potential of LBTs to treat or even cure diseases, and further research is needed to explore this technology.
Manipulating microbial ecosystems to possibly eradicate illnesses
