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Bacteria-Induced Colloidal Encapsulation for Probiotic Oral Delivery
Chong Zhang1, Xiaorong Gao1, Xinxiu Ren1
1Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Recognition and Imaging, School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023, People's Republic of China.
ACS Nano
|March 22, 2023
Summary
A novel bacteria-induced encapsulation strategy enhances probiotic oral delivery by protecting them in the harsh gastrointestinal tract. This method significantly improves probiotic survival, colonization, and therapeutic efficacy for various diseases.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Microbiology
Background:
- Oral delivery of probiotics is critical for biomedical applications.
- Limited probiotic survival and colonization in the gastrointestinal tract hinder oral bioavailability.
- Developing effective strategies to protect probiotics during oral delivery is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a bacteria-induced encapsulation strategy to enhance probiotic oral bioavailability.
- To investigate the protective effects of the encapsulation on probiotic survival and function.
- To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of encapsulated probiotics in a colitis model.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing a bacteria-induced encapsulation strategy with metastable colloids (NTc) composed of amino-modified poly-β-cyclodextrin and tannic acid.
- Assembling NTc colloids around negatively charged probiotics through electrostatic attraction and host-guest interactions.
- Assessing probiotic survival in simulated gastric fluid and evaluating proliferation, adhesion, and therapeutic efficacy in vitro and in vivo.
Main Results:
- Achieved rapid encapsulation of 97% of bacteria within 10 s using a one-step mixing process.
- Demonstrated significantly enhanced probiotic survival (19%) in simulated gastric fluid, 7500 times greater than commercial materials.
- Confirmed sustained probiotic proliferation, durable intestinal adhesion, and improved therapeutic efficacy in a colitis mouse model.
Conclusions:
- The bacteria-induced colloidal encapsulation strategy effectively enhances probiotic oral bioavailability and therapeutic outcomes.
- The developed NTc shells provide robust protection against the gastrointestinal environment while supporting probiotic activity.
- This facile encapsulation approach holds potential for oral delivery of various microbes as therapeutic bioagents.
