High‐Lactate‐Metabolizing Photosynthetic Bacteria Reprogram Tumor Immune Microenvironment

Abstract

The elevated levels of lactate in tumor tissue play a pivotal role in fostering an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Therefore, efficiently reducing lactate levels to reprogram tumor immune microenvironment (TIM) is considered a crucial step for boosted immunotherapy. Here, a high‐lactate‐metabolizing photosynthetic bacteria (LAB‐1) is selectively screened for TIM reprogramming, which then improves the efficacy of tumor immunotherapy. The culture medium for LAB‐1 screening is initially developed through an orthogonal experiment, simulating the tumor microenvironment (TME) and utilizing lactate as the sole organic carbon source. As demonstrated in a murine 4T1 model, LAB‐1 colonizes the TME selectively, resulting in a significant reduction in lactate levels and a subsequent increase in pH values within the tumor tissue. Furthermore, single‐cell RNA sequencing analysis reveals that LAB‐1 effectively reprograms the TIM, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of antitumor immune therapy. This approach of utilizing lactate‐consuming bacteria represents a potent tool for augmenting tumor immunotherapy efficiency.