Researchers have found a way to manipulate bacteria to identify bowel cancer in its early stages. A specific bacterial species can be engineered to detect specific mutations in human DNA.
A study published in the journal Science shows that wherever cancer might be lurking in the human body's intestines, a modified bacteria could one day detect it.
Researchers are working to get this bacterium to act as a probiotic sensor in the gut to carefully check, detect, and report any gut disease.
A team led by biologist Robert Cooper from the University of California at San Diego has succeeded in engineering a species of bacteria called Acinetobacter baylyi. This bacterium, known for its ability to absorb DNA from its environment, has been programmed to look for specific DNA sequences common to colorectal cancer.
When he incorporates tumor DNA into his system, an antibiotic-resistance gene is activated. This gene allows the bacteria to grow on agar plates containing antibiotics extracted from feces, indicating the presence of cancer cells.
The research is still in its infancy and it may take some time before the method is approved for clinical trials.
In addition, the efficacy and safety of the modified bacteria still need to be meticulously examined. Currently, the bacterium is programmed to detect KRAS mutations, which are present in about 40% of colorectal cancers, some lung cancers, and most pancreatic cancers.
For it to be truly useful in humans, researchers need to demonstrate that A. baylyi is safe when taken by mouth and shows consistent results in detecting cancer cells in stool samples. Â
Â
