Trends in Anti-Tumor Effects of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Mannose-Sensitive-Hemagglutinin (PA-MSHA): An Overview of Positive and Negative Effects.

Simple Summary: Finding the best treatment for cancer remains one of the biggest scientific challenges in the 21st century. Available cancer treatments have issues like drug resistance and severe side effects, indicating the need for alternative therapies, especially for patients who do not respond well to regular methods like chemotherapy or surgery. Recently, a new approach, bacteria-mediated cancer therapy, has gained attention. A specific bacterium called Pseudomonas aeruginosa mannose-sensitive-hemagglutinin (PA-MSHA) has shown promise in inhibiting the growth of various cancers, like breast and lung cancer. It works by halting tumor cell growth and prompting their natural death. Clinical studies suggest that PA-MSHA can boost the effectiveness of chemotherapy and activate the immune system against cancer, with mild side effects like fever and skin irritation. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge about the usage of PA-MSHA for cancer treatment, from laboratory studies to clinical trials, understanding both its benefits and potential drawbacks. Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, for which finding the optimal therapy remains an ongoing challenge. Drug resistance, toxic side effects, and a lack of specificity pose significant difficulties in traditional cancer treatments, leading to suboptimal clinical outcomes and high mortality rates among cancer patients. The need for alternative therapies is crucial, especially for those resistant to conventional methods like chemotherapy and radiotherapy or for patients where surgery is not possible. Over the past decade, a novel approach known as bacteria-mediated cancer therapy has emerged, offering potential solutions to the limitations of conventional treatments. An increasing number of in vitro and in vivo studies suggest that the subtype of highly virulent Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterium called Pseudomonas aeruginosa mannose-sensitive-hemagglutinin (PA-MSHA) can successfully inhibit the progression of various cancer types, such as breast, lung, and bladder cancer, as well as hepatocellular carcinoma. PA-MSHA inhibits the growth and proliferation of tumor cells and induces their apoptosis. Proposed mechanisms of action include cell-cycle arrest and activation of pro-apoptotic pathways regulated by caspase-9 and caspase-3. Moreover, clinical studies have shown that PA-MSHA improved the effectiveness of chemotherapy and promoted the activation of the immune response in cancer patients without causing severe side effects. Reported adverse reactions were fever, skin irritation, and pain, attributed to the overactivation of the immune response. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge obtained from in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies available at PubMed, Google Scholar, and ClinicalTrials.gov regarding the use of PA-MSHA in cancer treatment in order to further elucidate its pharmacological and toxicological properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]