Researchers in China said they have developed a “smart living glue” made from engineered gut bacteria that can detect internal bleeding and help repair intestinal damage, offering a targeted new approach to treating inflammatory bowel disease.
The research, reported by state-run Xinhua News on Tuesday, said it uses a harmless, modified strain of Escherichia coli, a common gut bacterium, to respond to severe inflammatory bowel disease flare-ups.
The work was published on Monday (19 January) in Nature Biotechnology by a team from the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology and Shenzhen University.
Scientists engineered the bacteria with a gene circuit that is activated by the presence of blood in the gut, a key indicator of mucosal injury and active bleeding in severe cases of inflammatory bowel disease.
Once triggered, the bacteria produce a sticky protein that forms a durable seal over the bleeding area.
According to the study, the bacteria also release a therapeutic agent that promotes healing of the damaged gut lining. The microbes are grown in liquid and taken orally, allowing them to travel through the digestive system and activate only at specific injury sites.
“The engineered microbes are cultured in liquid and orally administered. Once activated in the gut, they form a film-like morphology that adheres to specific bleeding sites, where they help stop bleeding and repair damage,” said Zhong Chao, the study’s corresponding author.
The researchers said they plan to move the “living glue” technology toward clinical studies, with the aim of providing a more precise treatment option for patients with bowel diseases, reducing the need for broad-acting drugs that can affect healthy tissue.
U.S. and Iranian officials said they had agreed on a framework to end their war, halt the U.S. blockade of Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a pre...
Leaders of the world's leading industrialised democracies are gathering in the French resort town of Evian-les-Bains for the latest Group of Seven (G7...
The UK has become the latest country to annouce a social media ban for children under 16. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer made the announcement on...
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told U.S. President Donald Trump that Israel does not consider itself bound by a Lebanon-related provisi...
Curaçao celebrate first World Cup goal despite heavy defeat against Germany, Sweden move to top of Group F with five-goal display and Japan fight...
Tajikistan has strengthened its position as one of Central Asia’s fastest-growing economies. According to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the trend is supported by investment activity, industrial expansion and large-scale infrastructure projects.
In the runup to the G7 summit, hosted by France in Évian-les-Bains on Monday, 15 June, China has addressed global economic balances in a videoconference hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. It is a rarity for Beijing to engage directly with the group.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 13 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Every June, roughly 13 million young people in China sit down at the same time to take the same test. They have been preparing for it, in many cases, since primary school. Their families have rearranged their lives around it.
Details of a reported draft memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran offer the clearest picture yet of how both sides plan to end months of conflict and move towards a longer-term settlement.
The U.S. and Iran say they have reached a deal to end their conflict, with an immediate ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz after the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade. Talks will continue over the next 60 days to finalise the agreement
U.S. President Donald Trump has said a peace agreement with Iran is scheduled to be signed on Sunday in a post on social media, despite Tehran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei saying no deal would be approved this weekend.
U.S. and Iranian officials said they had agreed on a framework to end their war, halt the U.S. blockade of Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a preliminary pact that sent oil prices falling but leaves the fate of Iran's nuclear program to further negotiations.
Switzerland on Sunday rejected a referendum proposal to cap its population at 10 million, a projection showed, as voters prioritised economic stability and the country's ties with the European Union over immigration concerns.
A U.S. doctor who contracted Ebola while on a humanitarian mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo has recovered and been discharged from a hospital in Germany, according to officials.
Protesters in Nanyuki blocked roads and burned tyres after residents challenged a U.S. plan to house Americans exposed to Ebola at a nearby military base.
Global health organisation CEPI will provide around $60 million to Moderna and two other partners to speed up the development of vaccines targeting the Ebola Bundibugyo strain, which is currently driving an outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo may be significantly larger than official figures suggest, following a visit to the country where he briefed President Felix Tshisekedi on the ongoing response.
Four nurses have recovered and been discharged after receiving treatment for Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment