Surface Engineering on Bacteria for Tumor Immunotherapy: Strategies and Perspectives

Abstract

Bacteria have garnered significant attention in tumor immunotherapy recently years, owing to their immune‐activating properties, ease of genetic manipulation, and colonization abilities. In order to further enhance the safety, efficacy, and clinical translation potential of bacterial therapy, and to endow bacteria with additional functions, modifications or engineering of bacterial surfaces have emerged as a current research hotspot. This review systematically summarizes the primary methods and strategies for bacterial surface modification and engineering, including chemical alteration, physical modification, and bio‐modification. Subsequently, it is delve into the roles of these techniques in enhancing bacterial tumor immunotherapy, such as improving immunotherapeutic efficacy and reducing toxic side effects, and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Finally, the current challenges faced in this field are deeply explored, and potential solutions for the future are presented. This work offers a comprehensive overview of the advancements in the new generation of bacterial surface modification techniques and their implications in bacterial‐based tumor immunotherapy.