Fig. 3: Tumor-specific colonization and MWA-induced protein expression by engineered bacteria.

A Schematic illustration of tumor-specific colonization using engineered bacteria, the figure was created in BioRender. Yujie (2024) https://BioRender.com/j49y031. Representative photographs (B) and quantification (C) of bacterial colonization in major organs and tumors obtained from H22 tumor bearing mice at different time points after intravenous administration of engineered bacteria (n = 3 mice). Schematic illustration (D, the figure was created in BioRender. Yujie (2024) https://BioRender.com/m99p797) and representative thermal images (left) and microwave heating profiles (right) (E) of tumor sites from mice post intravenous administration of mCherry@VNP in vivo (n = 3 mice). F Representative fluorescence imaging of MWA induction of the mCherry expression in multiple organs (n = 3 mice). G Schematic diagram of MWA induction of the IL-15&IL-15Rα expression in engineered bacteria in vivo, the figure was created in BioRender. Yujie (2024) https://BioRender.com/r44b770. H Representative thermal images (left) and microwave heating profiles (right) of tumor sites from mice post intravenous administration of engineered bacteria (n = 5 mice). I Quantification of IL-15&IL-15Rα protein levels in tumor tissue homogenates at different time points following MWA in mice (n = 5 mice, p values were calculated by one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparisons). J Quantification of IL-15&IL-15Rα protein levels in peripheral serum at different time points following MWA in mice (n = 5). Quantification of ALT (K) and AST (L) protein levels in peripheral serum at different time points following MWA in mice (n = 3 mice). Data in C, E, H, and I–Lwere presented as the mean ± SD. CFU colony-forming units, MWA microwave ablation, ALT alanine transaminase, AST aspartate aminotransferase. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.