Slug-mucus-inspired single-cell coating enhances the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease by improving probiotic...

Probiotics alleviate symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), metabolic disorders, and cardiovascular disorders by modulating the gut microbiota. However, oral probiotics face significant survival challenges due to the protective environment of the gastrointestinal tract. Inspired by the strong reparative properties and adhesive features of slug mucus, we developed a biomimetic universal single-cell coated probiotics system (AC-EcN), and the single-cell coating provides strong adhesion, durability, and self-healing after shear stress, with a double-layer network structure. Consequently, it provides prolonged protection (over 96 h) against gastrointestinal barriers, significantly enhancing probiotic proliferation in the intestines and achieving sustained cumulative effects with multiple oral administrations. Additionally, AC-EcN can selectively aggregate in response to inflammation, thereby amplifying the therapeutic benefits of probiotics. This process modulates intestinal inflammation, rapidly restores intestinal barrier function, and alters intestinal microbial community structure. Fundamentally reestablishing a healthy colonic state and reversing IBD. This probiotic single-cell coating strategy, which improves probiotic colonization efficiency, significantly enhances the treatment of IBD as a universal approach to potentiate orally administered probiotics.