Therapeutic approaches that reprogram the gut microbiome are promising strategies to alleviate and cure inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, abnormal expansion of Escherichia coli during inflammation can promote pathogenic bacteria occupying ecological niches to resist reprogramming of the microbiome. Herein, a bionic regulator (CaWO4 @YCW) is developed to efficiently and precisely regulate the gut microbiome by specifically suppressing the abnormal expansion of E. coli during colitis and boosting probiotic growth. Inspired by the binding of E. coli strains to the mannose-rich yeast cell wall (YCW), YCW is chosen as the bionic shell to encapsulate CaWO4 . It is demonstrated that the YCW shell endows CaWO4 with superior resistance to the harsh environment of the gastrointestinal tract and adheres to the abnormally expanded E. coli in colitis, specifically as a positioner. Notably, the high expression of calprotectin at the colitis site triggers the release of tungsten ions through calcium deprivation in CaWO4 , thus inhibiting E. coli growth by replacing molybdenum in the molybdopterin cofactor. Moreover, YCW functions as a prebiotic and promotes probiotic growth. Consequently, CaWO4 @YCW can efficiently and precisely reprogram the gut microbiome by eliminating pathogenic bacteria and providing prebiotics, resulting in an extraordinary therapeutic advantage for DSS-induced colitis.
Keywords: CaWO 4 nanoparticles; calprotectin-responsivity; colitis; gut microbiome reprogramming; yeast cellular wall.
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