Colon-targeted delivery of live bacterial cell biotherapeutics including microencapsulated live bacterial cells

Abstract

There has been an ample interest in delivery of therapeutic molecules using live cells. Oral delivery has been stipulated as best way to deliver live cells to humans for therapy. Colon, in particular, is a part of gastrointestinal (GI) tract that has been proposed to be an oral targeted site. The main objective of these oral therapy procedures is to deliver live cells not only to treat diseases like colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and other GI tract diseases like intestinal obstruction and gastritis, but also to deliver therapeutic molecules for overall therapy in various diseases such as renal failure, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and others. This review provides a comprehensive summary of recent advancement in colon targeted live bacterial cell biotherapeutics. Current status of bacterial cell therapy, principles of artificial cells and its potentials in oral delivery of live bacterial cell biotherapeutics for clinical applications as well as biotherapeutic future perspectives are also discussed in our review.

Keywords: artificial cells; bacterial cells; biotherapeutics; colon; gastrointestinal tract; immobilization; microcapsules; oral delivery; probiotic.

Figure 1

Schematic representation of molecular toll-like receptors (TLRs) of the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract which act as sensors and are the first responders in the major pathway by which the immune system detects infection or damaged tissue. Their biological function makes them attractive targets for designing various biotherapeutic molecules for such disorders as inflammation, infections, autoimmunity, allergies and cancer.

Figure 2

(a) Photomicrograph of freshly prepared empty APA microcapsules. (Magnification 6.3x). (b) Photomicrograph of freshly prepared APA microcapsules loaded with L. acidophilus. (Magnification: 2.5x). (c) Photomicrograph of APA microcapsules loaded with L. acidophilus cells after 76 hours of incubation in MRS broth and 150 rpm in-vitro shaking at 37 ºC (Magnification: 6.3x)180.