1. BACTERIAL GENE
THERAPY
By Abby Klueh

2. What is Bacterial Gene Therapy?
• The use of bacteria as a vector in gene therapy
• Used for pharmaceuticals to treat diseases
• Not as common as viral gene therapy

3. What can it treat?
• Can treat 4,000 different diseases/illnesses
• Bacterial gene therapy can be used to treat many
diseases such as:
• Colorectal cancer
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Ulceration
• Cystic fibrosis
• It can also be used to help lower cholesterol and enhance
immunity.

4. Bacterial Gene Therapy and Cancers
• Conditions in tumors, like low oxygen and dead
tissues, help bacteria grow quicker which allow the
bacteria to give off an anticancer treatment
• The bacteria used is called clostridia
• Can cause serious illness, but very rare
• The bacteria cannot thrive in spots with lots of oxygen so
it will stop growing when the tumor is almost gone

5. How it Works
1. Isolate the DNA of the gene being treated
2. Put the gene in a vector (the bacteria without DNA)
3. Introduce the vector to the area being treated or patient
being treated
4. Vector goes into the cells of the patient
5. Cells then makes the proteins the new DNA codes for

6. Gene Therapy Process

7. Types of Gene Therapy
• There are two types of gene therapy bacteria can be used
as a vector
1. Somatic cell therapy
• Somatic cells are chose for gene replacement
• Therapy on affects the patient
2. Reproductive cell or germline therapy
• Defective gene is the reproductive gene
• The change is inherited by the patients offspring

8. Pros of Bacterial Gene Therapy
• Has the potential to cure many diseases that may or may
not be cured by other medicines
• Can also help with genetic disorders

9. Cons of Bacteria Gene Therapy
• Cannot be given orally. The cells cannot survive through
the gastrointestinal tract in a normal dosage.
• The body may destroy the cells because the seem
foreign.
• Can be very expensive
• Has the potential to cause illness