Biohybrid microrobots regulate colonic cytokines and the epithelium barrier in inflammatory bowel disease.

Journal: Science robotics
PMID: 38924422

Abstract

Cytokines have been identified as key contributors to the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), yet conventional treatments often prove inadequate and carry substantial side effects. Here, we present an innovative biohybrid robotic system, termed "algae-MΦNP-robot," for addressing IBD by actively neutralizing colonic cytokine levels. Our approach combines moving green microalgae with macrophage membrane-coated nanoparticles (MΦNPs) to efficiently capture proinflammatory cytokines "on the fly." The dynamic algae-MΦNP-robots outperformed static counterparts by enhancing cytokine removal through continuous movement, better distribution, and extended retention in the colon. This system is encapsulated in an oral capsule, which shields it from gastric acidity and ensures functionality upon reaching the targeted disease site. The resulting algae-MΦNP-robot capsule effectively regulated cytokine levels, facilitating the healing of damaged epithelial barriers. It showed markedly improved prevention and treatment efficacy in a mouse model of IBD and demonstrated an excellent biosafety profile. Overall, our biohybrid algae-MΦNP-robot system offers a promising and efficient solution for IBD, addressing cytokine-related inflammation effectively.

Authors

  • Zhengxing Li
    Electric Power Research Institute, Yunnan Power Grid Co., Ltd., Kunming, Yunnan, China.
  • Yaou Duan
    Shiley Eye Institute, Institute for Engineering in Medicine, Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
  • Fangyu Zhang
    Department of NanoEngineering and Chemical Engineering Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
  • Hao Luan
    Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
  • Wei-Ting Shen
    Department of Nanoengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
  • Yiyan Yu
    Department of Nanoengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
  • Nianfei Xian
    Department of Nanoengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
  • Zhongyuan Guo
    School of Electronic Information, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
  • Edward Zhang
    Department of Nanoengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
  • Lu Yin
    College of Electronic and Information Engineering, Hebei University, Baoding Hebei, China.
  • Ronnie H Fang
    Department of NanoEngineering and Chemical Engineering Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
  • Weiwei Gao
    Department of NanoEngineering , University of California, San Diego , La Jolla , California 92093 , United States.
  • Liangfang Zhang
    Department of NanoEngineering , University of California, San Diego , La Jolla , California 92093 , United States.
  • Joseph Wang
    Department of NanoEngineering , University of California, San Diego , La Jolla , California 92093 , United States.

Keywords

External Resources

Popular Topics
Recent Journals