journal article·2026-04Open access

Ultrasound‐Responsive Engineered Bacteria for Targeted Cancer Therapy: Strategies, Mechanisms, and Applications

Xueyao Wang, Wenjing Xu, Yafang Lu, Huaibin Yu, Zhengbao Zha, Xijun Zhang

Advanced Science· Volume 13· Issue 20

Abstract

ABSTRACT In recent years, with the rapid advancement of synthetic biology and nanoscience, microbial therapy based on engineered bacteria has garnered renewed widespread attention and achieved remarkable research progress. Specifically, through biological and physicochemical methods, bacteria from diverse sources with unique characteristics are functionally modified and engineered to combine with conventional therapeutic approaches. This aims to overcome or mitigate the limitations of standard treatments in clinical applications. On this basis, the integration of exogenously responsive regulatory factors (e.g., ultrasound) with microbial therapy undoubtedly provides a more intelligent, precise, and promising therapeutic strategy for tumor treatment. In this review, we summarize the core methods for direct modification, mechanisms of action, and main application strategies of engineered bacteria in tumor therapy. Meanwhile, we focus on elaborating the forms and interaction mechanisms of combining ultrasound with engineered bacteria, and discuss in detail the latest research advances in their combined application for tumor therapy. A comprehensive understanding of their relationships and interaction mechanisms will provide theoretical support for the development of ultrasound‐regulated bioactive molecules and ultrasound‐responsive intelligent drug delivery systems, thereby further advancing the applications of ultrasound technology and microbial therapy in the biomedical field.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Cancer Research and Treatments · Ultrasound and Hyperthermia Applications · Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Ultrasound Zhengzhou University People's Hospital Henan Provincial People's Hospital Zhengzhou P. R. China

School of Medicine and Health Zhengzhou Research Institute, Harbin Institute of Technology Zhengzhou P. R. China

School of Medicine and Health Harbin Institute of Technology Harbin P. R. China

School of Food and Biological Engineering Hefei University of Technology Hefei P. R. China

Funding

Henan Provincial Science and Technology Research Project · Henan Province Science and Technology Innovation Talent Program · Postdoctoral Research Foundation of China · National Natural Science Foundation of China

References (100+)

Show source-provided references
1. 10.7150/ijbs.7253410.7150/ijbs.72534 ↗
2. 10.1186/s43556‐025‐00248‐910.1186/s43556‐025‐00248‐9 ↗
3. 10.15212/bioi‐2020‐002510.15212/bioi‐2020‐0025 ↗
4. 10.1155/2018/298424710.1155/2018/2984247 ↗
5. 10.1002/bit.2759610.1002/bit.27596 ↗
6. 10.1002/smll.20210464310.1002/smll.202104643 ↗
7. 10.3389/fonc.2018.0013610.3389/fonc.2018.00136 ↗
8. 10.1016/j.addr.2017.09.01210.1016/j.addr.2017.09.012 ↗
9. 10.1080/17425247.2025.250263810.1080/17425247.2025.2502638 ↗
10. 10.1002/adma.20231395310.1002/adma.202313953 ↗
11. 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.08.03910.1016/j.jconrel.2024.08.039 ↗
12. 10.1038/s41598‐018‐30106‐410.1038/s41598‐018‐30106‐4 ↗
13. 10.7150/thno.1966210.7150/thno.19662 ↗
14. 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.03.04910.1016/j.bbrc.2022.03.049 ↗
15. 10.1038/s41467‐022‐31932‐x10.1038/s41467‐022‐31932‐x ↗
16. 10.1038/s41467‐022‐29065‐210.1038/s41467‐022‐29065‐2 ↗
17. 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.10151310.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101513 ↗
18. 10.1021/jacs.5c0202510.1021/jacs.5c02025 ↗
19. 10.1038/s41568‐018‐0070‐z10.1038/s41568‐018‐0070‐z ↗
20. 10.2147/ijn.S33827210.2147/ijn.S338272 ↗
21. 10.3390/pharmaceutics1409180410.3390/pharmaceutics14091804 ↗
22. 10.1039/d3ra01876h10.1039/d3ra01876h ↗
23. 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.10151210.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101512 ↗
24. 10.1186/s12951‐024‐02619‐w10.1186/s12951‐024‐02619‐w ↗
25. 10.3390/pharmaceutics1308122610.3390/pharmaceutics13081226 ↗
26. 10.1038/s41598‐020‐64661‐610.1038/s41598‐020‐64661‐6 ↗
27. 10.1002/advs.20230183510.1002/advs.202301835 ↗
28. 10.1038/nature2502110.1038/nature25021 ↗
29. 10.1038/s41587‐022‐01581‐y10.1038/s41587‐022‐01581‐y ↗
30. 10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.10162010.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101620 ↗
31. 10.1002/adfm.20231609210.1002/adfm.202316092 ↗
32. 10.3390/molecules2720679810.3390/molecules27206798 ↗
33. 10.1021/acssynbio.2c0009310.1021/acssynbio.2c00093 ↗
34. 10.3389/fbioe.2023.114496310.3389/fbioe.2023.1144963 ↗
35. 10.1186/s12951‐024‐02868‐910.1186/s12951‐024‐02868‐9 ↗
36. 10.26355/eurrev_202005_2136310.26355/eurrev_202005_21363 ↗
37. 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.07.06110.1016/j.bbrc.2021.07.061 ↗
38. 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.05.07410.1016/j.bbrc.2019.05.074 ↗
39. 10.1186/s12951‐024‐02437‐010.1186/s12951‐024‐02437‐0 ↗
40. 10.1080/02656736.2020.179136510.1080/02656736.2020.1791365 ↗
41. 10.1002/inmd.2024000510.1002/inmd.20240005 ↗
42. 10.1186/s13036‐023‐00379‐z10.1186/s13036‐023‐00379‐z ↗
43. 10.1038/s41392‐020‐00280‐x10.1038/s41392‐020‐00280‐x ↗
44. 10.3389/fbioe.2022.102624810.3389/fbioe.2022.1026248 ↗
45. 10.1021/acsnano.3c0776310.1021/acsnano.3c07763 ↗
46. 10.1038/s12276‐019‐0297‐010.1038/s12276‐019‐0297‐0 ↗
47. 10.1158/0008‐5472.CAN‐06‐261810.1158/0008‐5472.CAN‐06‐2618 ↗
48. 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.12081710.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.120817 ↗
49. 10.1080/1061186X.2022.212247710.1080/1061186X.2022.2122477 ↗
50. 10.1002/inmd.7004810.1002/inmd.70048 ↗
51. 10.1038/s41551‐025‐01459‐910.1038/s41551‐025‐01459‐9 ↗
52. 10.1038/s41586‐025‐08588‐w10.1038/s41586‐025‐08588‐w ↗
53. 10.1186/s12906‐024‐04742‐510.1186/s12906‐024‐04742‐5 ↗
54. 10.3390/cancers1417422410.3390/cancers14174224 ↗
55. 10.3389/fmicb.2024.148764110.3389/fmicb.2024.1487641 ↗
56. 10.7150/thno.1143210.7150/thno.11432 ↗
57. 10.1016/j.cell.2025.02.00210.1016/j.cell.2025.02.002 ↗
58. 10.3390/ijms2120757510.3390/ijms21207575 ↗
59. 10.3390/pharmaceutics1510249010.3390/pharmaceutics15102490 ↗
60. 10.7759/cureus.7092010.7759/cureus.70920 ↗
61. 10.1002/inmd.2022000510.1002/inmd.20220005 ↗
62. 10.1038/s41416‐024‐02898‐y10.1038/s41416‐024‐02898‐y ↗
63. 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.12.02110.1016/j.apsb.2022.12.021 ↗
64. 10.3389/fphar.2024.130450210.3389/fphar.2024.1304502 ↗
65. 10.1126/sciadv.adu475910.1126/sciadv.adu4759 ↗
66. 10.4049/jimmunol.190143010.4049/jimmunol.1901430 ↗
67. 10.1007/s11427‐021‐1971‐x10.1007/s11427‐021‐1971‐x ↗
68. 10.2147/IJN.S46483010.2147/IJN.S464830 ↗
69. 10.1016/j.addr.2020.01.00310.1016/j.addr.2020.01.003 ↗
70. 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2023.10643810.1016/j.ultsonch.2023.106438 ↗
71. 10.3389/fimmu.2025.154759410.3389/fimmu.2025.1547594 ↗
72. 10.1039/d1tb00728a10.1039/d1tb00728a ↗
73. 10.1186/s12951‐025‐03583‐910.1186/s12951‐025‐03583‐9 ↗
74. 10.1002/adfm.20241499410.1002/adfm.202414994 ↗
75. 10.1021/bp034068510.1021/bp0340685 ↗
76. 10.1007/s10439‐021‐02833‐910.1007/s10439‐021‐02833‐9 ↗
77. 10.3390/diagnostics1315259510.3390/diagnostics13152595 ↗
78. 10.3390/cancers1614256010.3390/cancers16142560 ↗
79. 10.1002/mp.1556410.1002/mp.15564 ↗
80. 10.1016/j.addr.2022.11449510.1016/j.addr.2022.114495 ↗
81. 10.1007/s40820‐025‐01666‐810.1007/s40820‐025‐01666‐8 ↗
82. 10.1002/adhm.20210213510.1002/adhm.202102135 ↗
83. 10.1021/acssensors.2c0146810.1021/acssensors.2c01468 ↗
84. 10.1016/j.actbio.2024.10.01310.1016/j.actbio.2024.10.013 ↗
85. 10.7150/thno.10171410.7150/thno.101714 ↗
86. 10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.10204310.1016/j.mtbio.2025.102043 ↗
87. 10.1016/j.synbio.2025.03.00910.1016/j.synbio.2025.03.009 ↗
88. 10.7150/thno.8494710.7150/thno.84947 ↗
89. 10.3389/fimmu.2022.90583610.3389/fimmu.2022.905836 ↗
90. 10.3390/ijms2121786710.3390/ijms21217867 ↗
91. 10.1073/pnas.191222011710.1073/pnas.1912220117 ↗
92. 10.1038/s41568‐019‐0121‐010.1038/s41568‐019‐0121‐0 ↗
93. 10.3390/ijms2617858810.3390/ijms26178588 ↗
94. 10.1038/sj.gt.330149910.1038/sj.gt.3301499 ↗
95. 10.7150/ijbs.8853910.7150/ijbs.88539 ↗
96. 10.1016/j.drup.2021.10078710.1016/j.drup.2021.100787 ↗
97. 10.3389/fimmu.2025.156385810.3389/fimmu.2025.1563858 ↗
98. 10.1084/jem.2018239510.1084/jem.20182395 ↗
99. 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.05.00610.1016/j.apsb.2022.05.006 ↗
100. 10.1126/scitranslmed.aak953710.1126/scitranslmed.aak9537 ↗