Engineered Probiotic-Silver Nanointerfaces Enable Multimodal Repair of Inflamed Colon via Wnt and Chemokine...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanomedicine
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathogenesis involves complex failures in epithelial integrity, immune cell migration, and inflammatory homeostasis.
• Multifunctional therapeutic strategies are crucial for addressing the multifaceted nature of IBD.
• Developing advanced nanotherapeutic platforms offers a promising avenue for IBD treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a Bacillus licheniformis-templated nano-silver (Nano-Ag) composite within a tannic acid-iron (TA-Fe) metal-phenolic network for treating TNBS-induced colitis.
• To assess the physicochemical properties and therapeutic efficacy of the engineered biohybrid nanotherapeutic platform.
• To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of the Nano-Ag composite.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a TA-Fe metal-phenolic network encapsulating Bacillus licheniformis-templated Nano-Ag.
• In vivo administration of the Nano-Ag composite in a TNBS-induced colitis mouse model.
• Assessment of therapeutic effects through clinical observations, histological analysis, molecular marker evaluation, and serum profiling.

Main Results:

• The Nano-Ag composite demonstrated favorable physicochemical properties and a dose-responsive protective effect in vivo.
• Treatment significantly improved survival, reduced disease activity, preserved colon length, and restored colonic histoarchitecture.
• Molecular analysis revealed suppression of LEF-1, restoration of axin, attenuation of CXCR2/CCR7, and recovery of CCR5, indicating normalized Wnt signaling and immune trafficking.
• Serum profiling showed broad modulation of chemokine networks and partial correction of gut-liver and gut-kidney axis dysfunction.

Conclusions:

• The engineered TA-Fe-stabilized probiotic Nano-Ag platform acts as a multifunctional therapeutic agent for experimental colitis.
• The therapy integrates epithelial repair, inflammatory signaling modulation, and systemic metabolic stress reduction.
• This biohybrid nanomedicine represents a promising strategy for developing next-generation treatments for inflammatory bowel disease.