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Editorial
. 2023 May 15;12(1):2212547.
doi: 10.1080/2162402X.2023.2212547. eCollection 2023.

Prevention and treatment of cancers by tumor antigen-expressing Staphylococcus epidermidis

Oliver Kepp  1   2 , Laurence Zitvogel  3   4   5   6 , Guido Kroemer  1   2   7
Affiliations
Editorial

Prevention and treatment of cancers by tumor antigen-expressing Staphylococcus epidermidis

Oliver Kepp et al. Oncoimmunology. .

Abstract

In a recent paper in Science, Chen et al. reported the genetic engineering of S. epidermidis expressing tumor cross-reactive antigens that trigger T cell responses and exhibit anticancer effects after topical administration. Here we discuss direct local effects and indirect systemic effects of exposure to engineered S. epidermidis strains.

Keywords: Immunity; Immunotherapy; Microbiome.

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Conflict of interest statement

OK is a cofounder of Samsara Therapeutics. LZ has held research contracts with Glaxo Smyth Kline, Incyte, Lytix, Kaleido, Innovate Pharma, Daiichi Sankyo, Pilege, Merus, Transgene, 9 m, Tusk and Roche, was on the on the Board of Directors of Transgene, is a cofounder of everImmune, and holds patents covering the treatment of cancer and the therapeutic manipulation of the microbiota. GK has been holding research contracts with Daiichi Sankyo, Eleor, Kaleido, Lytix Pharma, PharmaMar, Osasuna Therapeutics, Samsara Therapeutics, Sanofi, Tollys, and Vascage. GK is on the Board of Directors of the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation France. GK is a scientific co-founder of everImmune, Osasuna Therapeutics, Samsara Therapeutics and Therafast Bio. GK is in the scientific advisory boards of Hevolution, Institut Servier and Longevity Vision Funds. GK is the inventor of patents covering therapeutic targeting of aging, cancer, cystic fibrosis and metabolic disorders. GK’s brother, Romano Kroemer, was an employee of Sanofi and now consults for Boehringer-Ingelheim. The funders had no role in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Direct or indirect anticancer effects of S. epidermidis expressing tumor cross-reactive antigens after the administration of the bacterium onto the skin. a. Direct effects. b. Indirect effects after contamination of the upper and lower parts of the respiratory or gastrointestinal tracts. Note that such indirect effects are purely hypothetical and require a thorough experimental exploration.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment on

References

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