Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41843539›Full record

ArticlePLoS biology2026

Engineered romidepsin biosynthetic pathways in Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 improve the efficacy of bacteria-mediated cancer therapy.

Chenghao Ma, Geng Li, Tao Sun, Ximi Tang, Tong Qiu, Jingwen Song, Hailong Wang, Youming Zhang, Tianyu Jiang

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Chenghao MaState Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Helmholtz International Lab for Anti-Infectives, Shandong University-Helmholtz Institute of Biotechnology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China.
Geng LiState Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Helmholtz International Lab for Anti-Infectives, Shandong University-Helmholtz Institute of Biotechnology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China.
Tao SunState Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Helmholtz International Lab for Anti-Infectives, Shandong University-Helmholtz Institute of Biotechnology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China.
Ximi TangState Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Helmholtz International Lab for Anti-Infectives, Shandong University-Helmholtz Institute of Biotechnology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China.
Tong QiuState Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Helmholtz International Lab for Anti-Infectives, Shandong University-Helmholtz Institute of Biotechnology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China.
Jingwen SongState Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Helmholtz International Lab for Anti-Infectives, Shandong University-Helmholtz Institute of Biotechnology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China.
Hailong WangState Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Helmholtz International Lab for Anti-Infectives, Shandong University-Helmholtz Institute of Biotechnology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China.
Youming ZhangState Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Helmholtz International Lab for Anti-Infectives, Shandong University-Helmholtz Institute of Biotechnology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China.
Tianyu JiangState Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Helmholtz International Lab for Anti-Infectives, Shandong University-Helmholtz Institute of Biotechnology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9013-5165

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The probiotic strain Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN), a potential member of tumor-targeting bacteria, shows great promise for cancer treatment. By leveraging engineered EcN, we can design a bacteria-assisted, tumor-targeted therapy for the biosynthesis and targeted delivery of small-molecule anticancer agents. In this study, we aimed to use EcN as a base for synthesizing Romidepsin (FK228), an FDA-approved drug originally made by Chromobacterium violaceum No. 96. Through gene cluster reconstruction, promoter optimization, and genome modification, we created FK228-producing strains to boost anticancer efficacy. The engineered strain achieved a maximum in vitro yield of 1.5 mg/L. In 4T1 tumor-bearing BALB/c mouse xenograft models, six recombinant strains outperformed the wild-type EcN. Proteome showed that inflammatory response induced by EcN combined with intratumoral FK228 production improved treatment results. Also, targeted synthesis reduced FK228's cardiotoxicity and mortality. Engineered EcN enables drug biosynthesis and precise delivery, offering powerful anticancer activity.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic AgentsDepsipeptidesEscherichia coliNeoplasmsAnimalsAntibiotics, AntineoplasticBiosynthetic PathwaysCell Line, TumorFemaleGenetic EngineeringHumansMiceMice, Inbred BALB CXenograft Model Antitumor AssaysAntibiotics, AntineoplasticAntineoplastic AgentsDepsipeptidesromidepsin

Identifiers

PMID41843539
PMCPMC12994790

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.