Olive Oil Promising New Delivery Method
BCG is a bladder cancer treatment that uses immunotherapy based on the bacteria Mycobacterium bovis. While an effective treatment, it can also cause infections in patients. One year ago, it was announced that Mycobacterium brumae offered an improved alternative. The problem however became the delivery method. Mycobacteria cells naturally clump together due to a high content of lipids in their walls. This clumping then interferes with interactions and reduces their antitumor effectiveness.
So scientist at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) with the collaboration of the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), embarked on finding a more suitable emulsion to maintain homogeneity and stability. Amongst those tested, and what yielded a strong immune response, was olive oil.
“These results highlight the potential of the olive oil-based emulsion as a promising delivery vehicle for the mycobacterial treatment of bladder cancer.” Said Professor of the UAB Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Esther Julián
You can read more about the findings here.
