[Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 as safe vehicles for intestinal immune targeted therapy--a review].

It is difficult to stimulate efficient gut mucosal immune response to intestinal infection. This article critically reviews the research progressin Escherichia coli strain Nisslel917 ( EcN) actingas a safe vehicle for the intestinal mucosal immunity, to restore gastrointestinal disorder and relieve ulcerative colitis. EcN is an orally administered probiotics, combining the excellent colonization and non-immunogenic character, and can be an ideal live vector candidate. This strain could be a tumor-targeted delivery of TAT-Apoptin fusion gene to colorectal cancer. In the treatment of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, the recombinant strain of EcN can be used as a target therapeutics for defensins presenting. Genetically modified EcN could be an ideal carrier organism for gut-focused in situ synthesis and expression of specific localized antigen delivery into the intestine, and stimulate specific mucosal immune response. In vitro trial demonstrated that intestinal recombinant E. coli Nissle-HA110-120 has the potential to stimulate antigen specific response, but EcN itself does not induce mucosal immune response and influence peripheral tolerance to self-antigen. At the same time, there are evidences that EcN is safe. Recombinant E. coli Nissle-HA110-120 does not migrate, clonally expand and activate specific CD4+ T cells, neither in healthy mice nor in other animals with acute colitis, even when the intestinal epithelium suffer from inflammation and the barrier function of the epithelial layer being destroyed.