Emerging Nanotechnologies and Microbiome Engineering for the Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by the chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and impacts almost 7 million people across the globe. Current therapeutics are effective in treating the symptoms, but they often do not address the root cause or selectively target areas of inflammation. Notably, self-assembled nanoparticles show great promise as drug delivery systems for the treatment of IBD. Nanoparticles can be designed to survive the harsh gastric conditions and reach inflamed areas of the gastrointestinal tract. Oral drug delivery with nanoparticles can localize drugs to the impacted inflamed region using active and/or passive targeting and promote a high rate of drug dispersion in local tissues, thus reducing potential off-target toxicities. Since a dysregulated gut microbiome is implicated in the development and progression of IBD, it is also important to develop nanoparticles and biomaterials that can restore symbiotic microbes while reducing the proliferation of harmful microbes. In this review, we highlight recent advances in self-assembled nanosystems designed for addressing inflammation and dysregulated gut microbiomes as potential treatments for IBD. Nanoparticles have a promising future in improving the delivery of current therapeutics, increasing patient compliance by providing an oral method of medication, and reducing side effects. However, remaining challenges include scale-up synthesis of nanoparticles, potential side effects, and financial obstacles of clinical trials. It would be in the patients' best interest to continue research on nanoparticles in the pursuit of more effective therapeutics for the treatment of IBD.

Macrophage Reprogramming via Targeted ROS Scavenging and COX-2 Downregulation for Alleviating Inflammation

“…After treatment, the mice were sacrificed, and RA joint slices were prepared and stained with Safranin-O/Fast Green and hematoxylin/eosin (H&E). The degree of coloration of Safranin-O indirectly reflects the content and distribution of proteoglycans, which allows for assessing matrix proteoglycan depletion and thus indicates the degradation and destruction of articular tissues. , As shown in the images of Safranin-O/Fast Green-stained sections in Figure d, substantial proteoglycan loss was observed in the joint sections collected from the mice treated with PBS or CAFIMC, suggesting severe destruction and extensive loss of cartilage and bone. The cartilage was much less damaged in the mice treated with MCI and essentially intact like that of healthy mice.…”

Modelling of Tungsten (C59W), Osmium (C59Os), and Platinum (C59Pt) Doped Fullerenes for Drug Delivery of Biguanides (BNG) and Metformin (MET): DFT Perspective

“…More so, nanostructures have drawn a lot of attention as a result of their ability to specifically target malignant and diabetic cells while sparing healthy cells from harm [14] as transport, solvent, temperature, chemical change, and stimuli‐controlled release are shown to be some common processes to explain the release of therapeutics from nanocarriers in a number of studies. Equally, drug delivery methods based on nanoparticles are very effective, precise, and target‐specific [15] . Also, depending on the type of drug carrier, morphological traits, and degree of chemical or physical affinity for various medications.…”

“…Equally, drug delivery methods based on nanoparticles are very effective, precise, and target-specific. [15] Also, depending on the type of drug carrier, morphological traits, and degree of chemical or physical affinity for various medications.…”

Self-Assembled Polymers for Gastrointestinal Tract Targeted Delivery through the Oral Route: An Update

“…Drug delivery systems, such as nanoparticles (NPs), provide a versatile and scalable platform for encapsulating a wide range of drugs and ensuring efficient therapeutic outcomes, especially in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases [17]. NPs exhibit enhanced stability, ensuring the preservation of drug integrity during transit through the GIT, including acidic pH and enzymatic degradation [18].…”