First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University

Engineered Macrophages Target Severe Bacterial Infections Without Genetic Modification

- Researchers from Nankai University and the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University developed a programmable macrophage interface engineering strategy that converts ordinary macrophages into pathogen-targeting antibacterial cells. - The approach remodels only the cell membrane using membrane-fusogenic liposomes carrying bacteriophage-derived receptor-binding proteins and intracellular antibiotics, avoiding permanent genetic modification. - In mouse models of bacterial pneumonia and meningitis, engineered macrophages markedly reduced bacterial burden, alleviated inflammatory injury, and restored immune homeostasis with favorable short-term biosafety. - The modular platform can target different bacterial species, including Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus, by simply exchanging bacteriophage receptor proteins.