Nanoparticle probiotic "backpack"

This schematic diagram shows probiotics (blue-green) being wrapped
in a layer of biomaterial as they pass through the human intestine.
Attached to the bacteria are reactive oxygen nanoscavengers
.

Probiotics are like elite firefighters who go into the wilderness to fight uncontrolled fires, and when they're best equipped, they do a better
job of suppressing intestinal inflammation.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have confirmed in a new study how promising some well-equipped gut-friendly bacteria are in improving the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
.

The study builds on
technology previously designed by a team led by Quanyin Hu, a professor at the UW-Madison School of Pharmacy and biomedical engineer.
Previous techniques helped the beneficial bacteria survive the onslaught of stomach acid and competing microbes long enough to build and multiply
in the guts of mice by enveloping them in a very thin protective shell.

Although this technique makes oral probiotics more effective, intestinal disease is a complex disease that often involves more than just disturbances in the gut microbiome
.

"IBD is a complex disease, and you need to treat it from different angles," Hu said
.

So Hu and his colleagues designed specialized nanoparticles to neutralize the molecules
involved in IBD.
They also came up with a way to attach these nanoparticles to beneficial bacteria after wrapping them in a protective coating
.

Combined with the probiotics themselves, these nanoparticle backpacks can significantly improve and simplify IBD treatment
.

While the root causes of IBD are complex and still being studied, one of the culprits is linked to
the overproduction of reactive oxygen molecules.
Although these molecules are essential for certain body functions, too many of them in the gut can exacerbate the destructive inflammation
of the gut lining.

The nanoparticle backpack is
here.
These particles are partly sulfide and partly hyaluronic acid, which has a strong anti-inflammatory effect, and sulfide directly targets reactive oxygen species
.

Hu's latest study shows that the protective shell and nanoparticle backpack-equipped probiotic Escherichia coli performed in mice significantly outperformed probiotics
without additional equipment in alleviating IBD symptoms.
The findings were published Nov.
11 in the journal Science Advances
.

The researchers estimated the effects of the treatment by two methods: by measuring changes in body weight and colon length in mice with IBD, which received and did not receive treatment
, respectively.

Like humans, mice with inflammatory bowel disease typically experience weight loss and a shortened colon as the disease progresses
.
Hu and his colleagues found that the fully treated mice lost the least amount of weight and shortened their colons much less than mice that received partial or no treatment
.

Current treatment options depend on the stage and severity of the disease, and Hu and his colleagues say they have sought a more holistic approach that could be effective
at any stage.

"For me, that's the most exciting part of this study," Hu said
.
"We don't want to target specific IBD stages
.
We want to select the most important factors that will help cure or treat the disease
at any stage.
”

In addition, this treatment is oral, which may make it a satisfactory alternative
to other, more invasive forms of IBD treatment, such as partial or complete removal of the colon.

Although the results are promising, it will take some time
to test it in humans.

Hu's next step is to test whether the nanoparticle backpack can effectively combine with other probiotics and document whether the treatment has any unwelcome side effects
.
Simplifying the process of manufacturing and attaching nanobackpacks is also critical
to making the treatment clinically viable.

Reference: Mucoadhesive probiotic backpacks with ROS nanoscavengers enhance the bacteriotherapy for inflammatory bowel diseases