A new colitis therapy strategy via the target colonization of magnetic nanoparticle-internalized Roseburia...

The homeostasis process in the gut tissue of humans relies on intestinal bacteria. However, the intestine is a complex structural tissue with a huge superficial area, and thus the effective application of probiotics in the treatment of Crohn's disease (CD) is still challenging. Herein, we show the feasibility of probiotic target delivery and retention using magnetic iron oxide nanoparticle-internalized Roseburia intestinalis, which can be easily directed by a magnetic field in vitro and in vivo. Subsequently, the increased colonization of this core profitable flora not only resulted in a better therapy effect than traditional intragastric administration but also altered the bacterial composition, leading to a higher diversity in microbial taxa in rats with colitis. Our findings illustrate the exciting opportunities that nanotechnology offers for alternative strategies to modulate biological systems remotely and precisely, which represent a step towards the wireless magnetic manipulation of living biological entities in microbiology.