Layer-by-layer coated probiotics with chitosan and liposomes exhibit enhanced therapeutic effects for DSS-induced colitis in mice

Int J Biol Macromol. 2024 May 3;269(Pt 1):132063. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132063. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Probiotic therapy has emerged as a promising approach for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, offering advantages in terms of safety and convenience. However, oral probiotics encounter significant challenges, including exposure to a hostile gastric environment with low pH, bile salts, elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and damage to the protective mucus layer. These factors reduce probiotic survival rates and limit their physiological activity. To address these challenges, we developed a layer-by-layer coated probiotics with curcumin-loaded liposome and polymer. Through DSS-induced colitis mice experiments, we demonstrated that the coated probiotics exhibited an improved survival rate in the gastrointestinal tract and enhanced adhesion to the intestinal mucosa. Furthermore, multi-layered coated probiotics exhibited remarkable efficacy in alleviating colitis by efficiently repairing the gut barrier, modulating gut microbial homeostasis, and reducing bacterial motility at sites of colonic inflammation. Our innovative approach holds promise for effectively treating gastrointestinal diseases.

Keywords: Chitosan; Curcumin; Inflammatory bowel disease; Liposome nanocoating; Oral probiotics delivery.