Towards Understanding Tumour Colonisation by Probiotic Bacterium E. coli Nissle 1917

The last decade has seen a rapid increase in studies utilising a genetically modified probiotic, Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN), as a chassis for cancer treatment and detection. This approach relies on the ability of EcN to home to and selectively colonise tumours over normal tissue, a characteristic common to some bacteria that is thought to result from the low-oxygen, nutrient-rich and immune-privileged niche the tumour provides. Pre-clinical studies have used genetically modified EcN to deliver therapeutic payloads that show efficacy in reducing tumour burden as a result of high-tumour and low off-target colonisation. Most recently, the EcN chassis has been expanded into an effective tumour-detection tool. These advances provide strong justification for the movement of genetically modified EcN into clinical oncology trials. What is currently unknown in the field is a deep mechanistic understanding of how EcN distributes to and localises within tumours. This review summarises the existing EcN literature, with the inclusion of research undertaken with other tumour-homing and pathogenic bacteria, to provide insights into possible mechanisms of EcN tumour homing for future validation. Understanding exactly how and why EcN colonises neoplastic tissue will inform the design and testing of the next generation of EcN chassis strains to address biosafety and containment concerns and optimise the detection and treatment of cancer.