{
  "abstract": "Engineered microbial immunotherapies can localize immune-modulating signals within solid tumors, where hypoxia, suppressive myeloid cells, deficient antigen presentation, and dysfunctional T-cell trafficking often limit immunotherapy. Macrofungal polysaccharides, especially structurally defined β-glucans, offer mechanistic templates rather than interchangeable drug substances for source-specific, structure-controlled immune engineering programs. Their activity depends on linkage, branching, molecular mass, conformation, solubility, aggregation, and physical presentation. Critically, the strongest Dectin-1 and trained-immunity evidence discussed here uses particulate β-glucans from Saccharomyces cerevisiae; those findings cannot be assigned directly to macrofungal β-glucans without material-specific comparison. We therefore distinguish four engineering architectures: de novo microbial biosynthesis of a defined β-glucan, microbial surface display, delivery of a pre-characterized β-glucan cargo, and delivery of non-glycan payloads that mimic the desired downstream immune program. Because therapeutic bacteria have not yet been shown to reproduce a macrofungal β-glucan with controlled linkage, branching, conformation, and presentation, near-term development should prioritize standardized cargo delivery or pathway mimicry. In pancreatic and colorectal cancer models, yeast whole-glucan particles have altered myeloid trafficking or generated epigenetically and metabolically trained macrophages linked to CXCL9/CXCL10 production, natural killer-cell recruitment, conventional type 1 dendritic-cell accumulation, and stronger CD8 T-cell responses. Human evidence remains preliminary and cannot establish β-glucan-specific efficacy in uncontrolled combination studies. This Perspective proposes source-resolved material characterization, receptor and cell-state testing, multidimensional pharmacodynamic biomarkers, and microbial safety controls as prerequisites for translating fungal-inspired immune programs into precision cancer therapeutics.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University, Ogboko, Ideato, Imo, Nigeria",
    "Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Bayelsa Medical University, Yenagoa, Bayelsa, Nigeria",
    "Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Bayelsa Medical University, Yenagoa, Bayelsa, Nigeria",
    "Department of Microbiology, Federal University Otuoke, Otuoke, Bayelsa, Nigeria",
    "Goodnight Family Department of Sustainable Development, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, United States",
    "Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Bayelsa Medical University, Yenagoa, Bayelsa, Nigeria",
    "Niger-Delta Institute for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, Federal University Otuoke, Yenagoa, Bayelsa, Nigeria",
    "Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Hezekiah University, Umudi, Nkwerre, Imo, Nigeria"
  ],
  "article_type": "brief report",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Kingsley Excel Dunga"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Sylvester Chibueze Izah"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Ebinyo Rebecca Aseibai"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Matthew Chidozie Ogwu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Vivian Ibienebakabobo Promise"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Nsikak Godwin Etim"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7
      ],
      "name": "Irene Nneka Ohanusi"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9qeqp2hmyk930.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3389/fonc.2026.1966586",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13697602/",
  "id": "9qeqp2hmyk930",
  "issns": [
    "2234-943X"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2026.1966586",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Perspective"
    ],
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      "openalex",
      "2403|Immunotherapy and Immune Responses"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7221511732",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13697602?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13697602",
  "pmid": "42936374",
  "published": "2026-10-12",
  "publisher": "Frontiers Media SA",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9qeqp2hmyk930.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:38Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13697602",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2026.1966586"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:13Z",
      "native_id": "10.3389/fonc.2026.1966586",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2026.1966586/full"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:22:24Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42936374",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42936374"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:2403|Immunotherapy and Immune Responses",
      "subfield": "immunology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "From macrofungal polysaccharides to precision microbial immunotherapy: reprogramming the tumor microenvironment through immunometabolic and gene-regulatory pathways",
  "title_text": "From macrofungal polysaccharides to precision microbial immunotherapy: reprogramming the tumor microenvironment through immunometabolic and gene-regulatory pathways",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:34:36Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9qeqp2hmyk930",
  "venue": "Frontiers in Oncology",
  "versions": []
}