Jun 26, 2024 Microrobot-packed pill shows promise for treating inflammatory bowel disease in mice ( Nanowerk News ) Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a pill that releases microscopic robots, or microrobots, into the colon to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The experimental treatment, given orally, has shown success in mice. It significantly reduced IBD symptoms and promoted the healing of damaged colon tissue without causing toxic side effects.
The study was published in Science Robotics ( "Biohybrid microrobots regulate colonic cytokine levels and modulate epithelium barrier restoration in inflammatory bowel disease" ). Colored SEM image of a microrobot made of an algae cell (green) covered with macrophage-mimicking nanoparticles (red). Scale bar: 5 μm.
(Image: Li et al, Science Robotics) IBD, an autoimmune disorder characterized by chronic inflammation of the gut, affects millions of people worldwide, causing severe abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, diarrhea and weight loss. It occurs when immune cells known as macrophages become overly activated, producing excessive levels of inflammation-causing proteins called pro-inflammatory cytokines. These cytokines, in turn, bind to receptors on macrophages, triggering them to produce more cytokines, and thereby perpetuating a cycle of inflammation that leads to the debilitating symptoms of IBD.
Now, researchers have developed a treatment that successfully keeps these cytokine levels in check.
