Bioengineered bean gum chewable may curb mouth and throat cancer microbes
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have created a lablab-bean gum that dramatically lowers HPV and two cancer-linked bacteria in oral samples.
Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Dental Medicine have engineered a chewing gum from lablab beans that targets microbes associated with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. In laboratory tests, the gum reduced human papillomavirus concentrations by 93% in saliva and 80% in oral rinses. Adding the antimicrobial peptide protegrin to the gum virtually eradicated the bacterial species Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum, while leaving the normal oral microbiome intact.
The research, published in Scientific Reports, highlights the gum's potential as a supplementary therapy or prophylactic tool for high-risk individuals. Henry Daniell, the study’s senior author, emphasized the need for clinical trials to evaluate its use alongside current cancer treatments. The findings align with broader public-health advice that oral hygiene can lower the risk of head and neck cancers.
Why it matters
A simple chewable could help prevent or support treatment of a common, aggressive head-and-neck cancer.
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