Science: Probiotics are expected to treat inflammatory bowel disease

A new study by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison shows promise for some well-functioning gut-friendly bacteria in improving the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
.

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

While 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.
These molecules are essential for certain body functions, but too much 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
.
This acid has a strong anti-inflammatory effect, and the sulfide directly targets reactive oxygen species
.

The latest study conducted in mice shows that the probiotic E.
coli significantly outperforms its unequipped
, opponents in relieving symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease in protective casings and nisle 1917 equipped with nanoparticle backpacks.
The findings were published Nov.
11 in the journal Scientific Advances
.

The researchers estimated the effect of the treatment by two methods: by measuring changes in 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 weight and shortened their colons much less than those 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 comprehensive treatment 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.

While the results are promising, it will take some time
to conduct experiments on humans.

The next step is to test whether the nanoparticle backpack can be effectively combined with other probiotics and to 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.