Microbiome-Modified Bacteria for Cancer Cachexia Muscle Atrophy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for cancer cachexia and skeletal muscle atrophy are ineffective and lack pharmacologic therapies that modify the patient's microbiome to address muscle wasting associated with various cancers, and there is a need for a simple, inexpensive method to administer therapeutic agents like p53 protein.
Innovation Solution
Employing CRISPR-Cas technology to modify bacteria in the individual's microbiome to produce tomatidine and p53 protein, which can be administered orally, allowing for the natural production of these therapeutic agents within the body, thereby addressing muscle atrophy and potentially enhancing cancer treatment efficacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current treatment strategies (appetite stimulants and protein supplementation) are used, then nutritional support is provided, but they are ineffective and do not address the underlying muscle atrophy mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs microbiome-modified bacteria to produce p53 protein and tomatidine within the patient's own body, enabling self-service therapy. The bacteria utilize the host's cellular machinery to synthesize therapeutic compounds, eliminating the need for external drug administration and reducing treatment complexity while improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies bacterial parameters (genetic composition, metabolic pathways) to enable production of specific therapeutic agents (p53 protein, tomatidine). By changing the functional parameters of the microbiome, the treatment achieves reliable muscle atrophy reversal without requiring complex external intervention systems.
2Reliability
If pharmacologic therapies modifying the microbiome are developed, then muscle atrophy can be effectively treated, but the complexity of such therapies increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the therapeutic function across multiple bacterial species within the microbiome, with each species contributing specific functions (e.g., p53 production, tomatidine synthesis). This segmentation allows the complex task of muscle atrophy reversal to be distributed among simpler, specialized microbial units, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining treatment reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses modified bacteria as intermediary carriers to deliver therapeutic agents (p53 protein, tomatidine) into the host body. These bacterial intermediaries simplify the treatment process by serving as natural vectors that can be administered orally, avoiding the need for complex direct drug delivery systems while achieving reliable therapeutic effects.
3Reliability
If traditional administration methods for therapeutic agents are used, then treatment can be provided, but the invasiveness and complexity of administration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the body's own microbiome to produce and administer therapeutic agents through oral consumption of modified bacteria. This self-service approach eliminates the need for invasive parenteral administration, simplifying the ease of operation while maintaining reliable therapeutic delivery through the natural gastrointestinal tract.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical administration systems (injections, infusions) with a simple oral consumption mechanism. By substituting the delivery mechanism to utilize the natural gastrointestinal environment and microbiome, the patent achieves reliable therapeutic agent delivery with significantly improved ease of operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The approach effectively inhibits muscle atrophy, maintains muscle mass, and enhances the body's ability to withstand cancer treatments by naturally producing tomatidine and p53 protein, offering a more effective and less invasive method for treating cancer cachexia and related muscle wasting issues.
Implementation Method 1
Employing CRISPR-Cas technology to modify bacteria in the individual's microbiome to produce tomatidine and p53 protein
Implementation Method 2
Tomatidine is an inhibitor of muscle atrophy and thus has a use as a therapeutic agent for skeletal muscle atrophy
Implementation Method 3
bacteria that have been modified to produce effective amounts of tomatidine and p53 protein
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to the field of Oncology, and in particular, embodiments directed to a method of ameliorating, treating, or preventing a malignancy in a human subject wherein the steps of the method assist or boost the immune system in eradicating cancerous cells. In certain embodiments, administration of beneficial bacteria to an individual's microbiome that have been modified so as to produce effective amounts of desired compositions, compounds, agents, e.g. tomatidine, p53 protein, etc., is employed to address cancerous conditions. In several embodiments, the administration of such beneficial bacteria and microbes to an individual's microbiome invokes either an active (or a passive) immune response to destroy, weaken or render less invasive certain cancerous cells, and preferably maintains muscle tissue to combat cancer cachexia.