Probiotic Delivery for Editing of the Gut Microbiota to Mitigate Colitis and Maintain Hepatic Homeostasis Via Gut-Liver Axis.

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) compromises the intestinal barrier and disrupts gut microbiota, impacting liver function via the gut-liver axis, which in turn influences the intestinal microbiota through lipid metabolites exacerbating IBD. This study introduced a probiotic-based treatment using <i>Lactobacillus acidophilus</i> encapsulated in tungsten ion-loaded mesoporous polydopamine (LA@WMPDA) to ameliorate colitis and balance enterohepatic homeostasis. After oral administration, the encapsulation could protect <i>Lactobacillus acidophilus</i>, scavenge reactive oxygen/nitrogen species, and the released tungsten ions would inhibit abnormal <i>Enterobacteriaceae</i> growth during colitis, consequently restoring the intestinal barrier and regulating the gut microbiota. Nontargeted metabolomics and transcriptomics analyses showed increased short-chain fatty acids and indole derivatives, and decreased hepatic lipid metabolism. Pathways associated with immune response, cell migration and death, and response to bacterium showed significant down-regulation in the colon and liver transcriptome analysis. Thus, this study provided a pioneered paradigm for IBD treatment and highlighted the regulation of liver-related metabolic functions via the gut-liver axis.