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Introducing the Smart Pill: Enabling Doctors to Examine and Treat Your Intestines Internally.

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Emerging technologies enable doctors to leverage microorganisms for diagnosing and treating diseases through gut microbiota. Recent studies highlight these advancements.

Researchers successfully used smartphone apps to genetically alter bacteria, causing them to emit light signals in response.

If proven safe and effective in humans, this treatment could address several illnesses that are currently challenging to manage.

This method encompassed three key elements: bacteria, technology, and pigs. Under the guidance of senior author Hanzi Wang from Tianjin University in China, scientists modified E. coli bacteria to react to specific chemical and optical stimuli.

They created swallowable capsules controlled via Bluetooth that communicate with these photoresponsive bacteria, targeting pigs afflicted with colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease that results in intestinal swelling.

The experiment has commenced, allowing scientists to introduce engineered E. coli into the inflamed intestines of pigs through these capsules.

Nitrates, which the body produces during intestinal inflammation, serve as indicators of active colitis. When the modified E. coli come into contact with nitrates, they illuminate.

These smart capsules can detect the optical signal, alerting researchers to the presence of E. coli via Bluetooth.

Through a smartphone app, researchers can command the capsule to start emitting light signals, prompting the E. coli to release anti-inflammatory antibodies to combat colitis.

This innovative approach enables scientists to effectively communicate with the bacteria, ensuring targeted treatment delivery.

Three pigs were infected with colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease with few treatment options currently available – Credit: Connect images via Getty

“This represents a remarkable technological advancement,” stated Dr. Lindsey Edwards, a senior lecturer in Microbiology at King’s College London, as reported by BBC Science Focus. Dr. Edwards was not involved in the research.

“Methods like this enable precise, real-time interactions with gut bacteria and have the potential to revolutionize treatment,” she added.

“There is an urgent need for new tools that allow us to harness the full potential of our microbiota to enhance health and better understand and manage microbial infections.”

At present, colitis has no existing treatments, and options are scarce. Dr. Edwards believes that such future methods could “open new pathways” for treating not only inflammatory bowel disease but also other gut-related conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and chronic fatigue.

However, Dr. Alexandre Almeida, from the Department of Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge University and not part of this research, warns that this possibility is still distant.

“This is still a preliminary proof-of-concept study,” he noted. “The technology has only been tested in animals and specifically for detecting certain conditions.”

“Before human applications, we must evaluate the safety of this technology and address significant questions, such as how these engineered microorganisms influence the natural balance of other gut bacteria.”

Dr. Nicholas Ilott, a senior researcher at the Oxford Microbiome Research Center who did not participate in the study, stated that the technology is “incredibly exciting” and could prove to be “very valuable” in future medical treatments.

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About our experts

Dr. Lindsey Edwards is a senior lecturer in microbiology at King’s College London, UK. Her research focuses on mucosal barrier immunology, host-microbe interactions, and the priming of adaptive immune responses, along with intestinal and liver diseases.

Dr. Alexandre Almeida is a Principal Investigator and MRC Career Development Fellow at the University of Cambridge, UK, specializing in bioinformatics and genomic approaches for biological discoveries related to human health.

Dr. Nicholas Ilott is a senior researcher specializing in bioinformatics at the Microbiome Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Oxford University, UK, concentrating on host-microbe interactions in chronic liver and inflammatory bowel diseases.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Preserving Gut Health: Using Gut-Friendly Antibiotics to Treat Lyme Disease

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Lyme disease can spread to people through mites

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Antibiotics commonly used to absorb pneumonia remove Lyme disease mice at doses 100 times lower than standard antibiotic therapy. This small dose was combined with the targeted effect of the drug on infection, meaning that the animal’s gut microbiota was largely unaffected.

Lyme disease is caused by bacteria in the genus Borelia It spreads mostly among birds and small rodents, but people can get infected via the bites of mites that have given the blood of such animals. Infections generally lead to flu-like symptoms and a “bull” rash. Without treatment, it can cause serious long-term complications such as fatigue and pain.

Standard treatment involves taking the antibiotic doxycycline twice daily at high doses for up to three weeks. This will stop the production of the proteins needed for bacteria to survive, but will not selectively target them Borelia seed. “It will cause chaos normally [gut] It says microbiome. Brandon Footlas At Northwestern University, Illinois.

Looking for a more selective alternative, Jutras and his colleagues first tested how effective it is to have more than 450 antibiotics all approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Borrelia burgdorferi – The most common type of lab dishes that causes Lyme disease.

They then evaluated how best-performing drugs affected the growth of harmless or beneficial bacteria commonly found in people and mouse visceral organs, such as certain strains. E. coli. This revealed that piperacillin is associated with penicillin, commonly used in the treatment of pneumonia and is the most selective target. B. burgdorferi.

Next, the researchers injected 46 mice. B. burgdorferi. Three weeks later, they treated the animals with various doses of either doxycycline or piperacillin for a week. The researchers found that mice received either high doses of doxycycline or 100 times lower doses of piperacillin, with no signs of infection.

They also analyzed stools from mice before and after antibiotic treatment and found that low doses of piperacillin had little effect on bacterial levels. B. burgdorferi In the gut, high doses of doxycycline significantly altered the gut microbiota.

This is probably due to the low amount of antibiotics, which has less impact on intestinal microbial diversity and is the target action of piperacillin. “We found that using piperacillin is targeting certain proteins. B. burgdorferiit is very efficient to kill this Lyme disease agent at low concentrations, not other bacteria, to survive,” says Jutras.

But mice can respond differently to antibiotics than people, John Ocotte at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. For example, they often break down the drug faster, which can change its effectiveness. The Jutras team hopes to test piperacillin in human Lyme disease tests in the coming years.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Microdosing LSD does not effectively treat ADHD

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Can microdosing psychedelics focus on the mind?

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Taking small repeated doses of the psychedelic drug LSD does not reduce ADHD symptoms more than placebo.

Microdosing psychedelic drugs involve taking them several times a week in small amounts, sufficient to avoid experiencing hallucinations. There is little evidence to support this, but there is a broad view that this can increase happiness, creativity and focus. Additionally, some studies have reported that people who microdose as a way to treat ADHD have improved symptoms, but these studies have been observed and rely on self-reported data.

To more rigorously test the effects of drugs on ADHD, Matthias Liechti The University of Basel, Switzerland and his colleagues conducted the first randomized controlled trial of LSD microdoshing for ADHD. They recruited 53 adults living in the Netherlands or Switzerland who had been diagnosed with ADHD and experienced moderate to severe symptoms. Twenty-seven participants received 20 mirogram doses of LSD twice a week at the upper microodour limit, yet only a fifth of the standard dose, while the rest were given a placebo.

Symptoms of ADHD were assessed at the start of the study and were assessed 6 weeks later using a 54-point scale. On average, participants receiving the placebo had an average score reduction of approximately 7 percentage points. This is not a major difference, suggesting that LSD is better than a placebo for improving ADHD symptoms, says Liechti.

However, he says the dosage may have been unsuitable for treating ADHD. LSD, similar to how ADHD medications currently work, may need to be taken daily to experience a reduction in symptoms, he says Conor Murray At the University of California, Los Angeles.

“We still need to check if there is an acute dose while the drug is in your body – does it alleviate the symptoms?” Murray says. “It's kind of the first step, if not, you rarely even have to ask if there's a permanent change.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Using mRNA Technology to Treat Pre-eclampsia

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High blood pressure is a common symptom of preeclampsia

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Currently, the only way to deal with preeclampsia, a common pregnancy complication, is to deliver the baby early if possible. But researchers have now successfully treated this condition in mice by delivering mRNA molecules to the placenta to stimulate the growth of new blood vessels.

They say the next step is to test this mRNA therapy in larger animals such as guinea pigs and non-human primates. kelsey swingle at the University of Pennsylvania. “That’s something we’ve been talking about starting in the really near future.”

If the treatment proves effective in large animals, the researchers envision testing it first in people who develop preeclampsia early in pregnancy.

“If you have pre-eclampsia in the 8th or 9th month of pregnancy, you are inducing it early, but if you have severe pre-eclampsia in the 4th or 5th month of pregnancy, it is It’s not an option. There’s a very good chance you’ll lose the baby,” the team member says. michael mitchell also at the University of Pennsylvania. “That’s where we can get treatment.” [address] There is a pressing need. ”

It may also be used late in pregnancy to avoid the need for early delivery, which can affect the infant’s health.

Approximately 1 in 25 women will develop preeclampsia during their first pregnancy, which can have serious consequences. It is estimated that 75,000 women die from preeclampsia worldwide. 500,000 infants Every year.

Preeclampsia is usually diagnosed based on high blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy and signs of kidney damage, such as protein in the urine. The underlying reason for this is that the arteries that connect the uterus and placenta fail to develop properly, Swingle said.

Therefore, it could theoretically be possible to treat preeclampsia by promoting the growth of arteries within the placenta. We know that a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) promotes blood vessel growth, but the problem is getting it to the placenta.

Proteins like VEGF are simply injected into the bloodstream and quickly removed, Swingle said. This problem can be overcome by providing a recipe for creating proteins in the form of mRNA molecules wrapped in fatty substances forming lipid nanoparticles (LNPs).

Once LNP is taken up by cells, mRNA molecules tell the cells how to make the desired protein. The effect is temporary, as the molecules break down after a while.

Swingle says this approach has already been tested in pregnancy, as this is how covid-19 mRNA vaccines work. “Many pregnant women have been vaccinated against COVID-19.”

The LNPs used in mRNA covid-19 vaccines are injected directly into muscle cells, so they are taken up by muscle cells. However, when the same LNP is injected into the blood, almost all of it is taken up by liver cells.

Therefore, the big challenge for Swingle and her team was finding a way to get the LNPs to the placenta. To accomplish this, we created and tested about 100 LNPs with slightly different chemical properties.

When the research team used the most promising of these LNPs to deliver an mRNA molecule encoding VEGF to pregnant mice with pre-eclampsia, the mice’s blood pressure returned to normal for the remainder of their pregnancy. .

“This approach merits further study in higher primates and, if animal data suggest both safety and efficacy, in women with preeclampsia,” he says. peter von derdelsen At King’s College London.

Studies in mice using mRNA encoding fluorescent proteins have shown that LNPs are taken up by the spleen and to some extent by the liver and placenta, which is a potential safety issue. Importantly, however, there was no sign that LNPs crossed the mouse placenta and reached the fetus.

There is currently no cure for preeclampsia, but the risks are especially great without advanced medical care. “Injectable therapies that do not require all the highly expensive and complex standard treatments could be transformative for applications in developing countries,” Mitchell said.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Lab experiment suggests CRISPR can disable and treat HIV

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Electron micrograph of HIV, which currently requires lifelong medication

Scott Kamazin/Alamy Stock Photo

A new way to eradicate HIV from the body could one day become a cure for infection with the virus, but it has not yet been proven effective in humans.

The strategy uses a relatively new genetic technology called CRISPR, which can make cuts in DNA and introduce errors into the viral genetic material within immune cells. “These findings represent a vital advance toward the design of therapeutic strategies,” the researchers said. Elena Herrera Carrillo Researchers from the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands said in a statement.

HIV infection used to be almost always fatal, but now people with the virus can take drugs that stop the virus from replicating. Therefore, as long as you diligently take your medication every day, you can maintain a nearly normal lifespan.

But when a person is first infected, some of the virus inserts its DNA into immune cells, where it becomes dormant. When you stop taking your HIV medication, this DNA “reawakens” and the virus begins to spread again through your immune system.

For treatment, we need some way to kill the latent virus in the body. Several strategies have been tried, but so far none have been found to work.

The latest approach uses a gene editing system called CRISPR. Originally discovered in bacteria, it targets specific DNA sequences and makes cuts there. By changing the targeted DNA sequence, the system could be applied as a form of gene therapy for many conditions, and such treatments were launched in the US and UK last year as a treatment for sickle cell anemia. first approved.

Several groups are working with CRISPR to target HIV genes as a way to disable the dormant virus. Now, Carrillo and her team have shown that when tested on immune cells in a dish, the CRISPR system can neutralize all viruses and remove them from these cells. The work will be presented at European Conference on Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Next month in Barcelona, Spain.

Jonathan Stoy Researchers at London’s Francis Crick Institute say the results are encouraging, but the next step is testing in animals and eventually humans to ensure the treatment is available to all people with dormant HIV. The aim is to show that it can reach immune cells, he said. Some of these cells are thought to reside in the bone marrow, but other parts of the body may also be involved, he says. “There is still considerable uncertainty about whether there are other stores in other parts of the body,” he says.

A California company called Excision BioTherapeutics has previously shown that a CRISPR-based approach can: Reduce the amount of latent virus in monkeys infected with a virus similar to HIV.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Using Inhalable Nanoparticles to Treat COPD, a Chronic Lung Disease

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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease affects the lungs

Sebastian Kauricki/Science Photo Library

Using inhalable nanoparticles to deliver drugs to the lungs could help treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In mice with signs of the condition, treatment improved lung function and reduced inflammation.

COPD causes the airways in the lungs to gradually narrow and stiffen, blocking airflow and blocking mucus drainage. As a result, mucus builds up in the lungs, attracting bacterial pathogens that further worsen the disease.

This thick layer of mucus also traps drugs, making it difficult to treat infections. So, Zhu Junliang Researchers at China's Dongzhou University have developed inhalable nanoparticles that can penetrate mucus and deliver drugs deep into the lungs.

The researchers constructed hollow nanoparticles from porous silica and loaded them with an antibiotic called ceftazidime. A shell of negatively charged compounds surrounding the nanoparticles blocked the pores and prevented the antibiotic from leaking. This negative charge also helps the nanoparticles penetrate mucus. The slight acidity of the mucus then changes the charge on the shell from negative to positive, opening the pores and releasing the drug.

Researchers used an inhalation spray containing nanoparticles to treat bacterial lung infections in six mice with signs of COPD. A similar number of animals received antibiotics only.

On average, mice treated with nanoparticles had about 98 percent fewer pathogenic bacteria in their lungs compared to mice given antibiotics alone. They also had fewer inflammatory molecules in their lungs and less carbon dioxide in their blood, indicating better lung function.

These findings suggest that nanoparticles could improve drug delivery to people with COPD and other lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis, where thick mucus makes infections difficult to treat. It has said. vincent rotello from the University of Massachusetts Amherst was not involved in the study. However, it is unclear whether these nanoparticles are cleared from the lungs. “If you have a delivery system that accumulates over time, that's a problem,” he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com