Title:Theranostic Potential of Bacteriophages against Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Volume: 25
Issue: 2
Author(s): Maheswaran Easwaran, Sivagnanavelmurugan Madasamy and Baskar Venkidasamy*
Affiliation:
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Saveetha
Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai
600077, India
Keywords:
Oral squamous cell carcinoma, bacteriophage, gene therapy, phage display peptide, integrin (αvβ6), CRISPR-Cas3.
Abstract: Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) is a widespread and challenging disease that accounts
for 94% of cancers of the oral cavity worldwide. Bacteriophages (phages) have shown promise
as a potential theranostic agent for the treatment of OSCC. It may offer advantages in overcoming
the challenges of conventional methods. Modern high-throughput pyrosequencing techniques
confirm the presence of specific bacterial strains associated with OSCC. Bio-panning and filamentous
phages facilitate visualization of the peptide on surfaces and show high affinity in OSCC cells.
The peptide has the potential to bind integrin (αvβ6), aid in diagnosis, and inhibit the proliferation
of OSCC cells. Mimotopes of tumor-associated antigens show cytotoxic and immune responses
against cancer cells. Biomarker-based approaches such as transferrin enable early OSCC diagnosis.
A modified temperate phage introduces CRISPR-Cas3 to target antimicrobial-resistant bacteria associated
with OSCC. The research findings highlight the evolving field of phage diagnostics and
therapy and represent a new avenue for non-invasive, targeted approaches to the detection and
treatment of OSCC. However, extensive clinical research is required to validate the efficacy of
phages in innovative cancer theranostic strategies.