CAT‐BLAST: Engineered bacteria for robust targeting and elimination of cancer‐associated fibroblasts
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) construct a protective stromal barrier that promotes tumor growth and resistance to therapy. To dismantle this, we developed CAT-BLAST, an engineered bacterial platform designed to potently eliminate these cells. We engineered a safe, high-expression E. coli chassis, arming it with a FAP-specific synthetic adhesin for precise CAF targeting and the ability to secrete the ClyA cytotoxin to induce apoptosis in both CAFs and adjacent tumor cells. This platform demonstrated robust, FAP-specific targeting across diverse human tumor xenograft models and achieved significant tumor suppression in both murine colorectal cancer and melanoma.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Cancer Research and Treatments
Peptidase Inhibition and Analysis
Microbial metabolism and enzyme function
Publication details
- Journal / source
- iMeta
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Volume
- 5
- Issue
- 1
- Publication date
- 5 January 2026
- Language
- EN