Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, No. 103, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016, China.
Liaoning Institute for Drug Control, No. 7 Chongshan West Road, Shenyang 110016, China.
Sci Adv. 2024 Jul 26;10(30):eado8222. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.ado8222.
The artificial mucus layer, such as hydrogels, used to repair the damaged intestinal barrier, is a promising treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the currently reported hydrogel-based artificial barriers are administered via rectal injection, causing unnecessary discomfort to patients. Herein, we report an oral hydrogel precursor solution based on thiol-modified hyaluronic acid (HASH). Owing to the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive gelling behavior, our precursor solution formed an artificial mucus coating over the inflamed regions of the intestines, blocking microbial invasion and reducing abnormally activated immune responses. Notably, HASH also modulated the gut microbiota, including increasing the diversity and enhancing the abundance of short-chain fatty acid-associated bacteria, which play a key role in gut homeostasis. We believe that the ROS-responsive artificial mucus layer is a promising strategy for the oral treatment of IBD.
人工黏液层，如水凝胶，用于修复受损的肠道屏障，是治疗炎症性肠病（IBD）的一种有前途的方法。然而，目前报道的基于水凝胶的人工屏障是通过直肠注射给药的，这会给患者带来不必要的不适。在此，我们报告了一种基于巯基修饰透明质酸（HASH）的口服水凝胶前体溶液。由于活性氧（ROS）响应的胶凝行为，我们的前体溶液在肠道的炎症区域形成了人工黏液涂层，阻止了微生物的入侵并减少了异常激活的免疫反应。值得注意的是，HASH 还调节了肠道微生物群，包括增加多样性和增强与短链脂肪酸相关的细菌的丰度，这些细菌在肠道稳态中起着关键作用。我们相信，ROS 响应的人工黏液层是治疗 IBD 的一种很有前途的口服方法。
