bims-livmat 2025-08-31 papers

bims-livmat

Biomed News

on Living materials

Issue of 2025–08–31
seven papers selected by
Sara Trujillo Muñoz, Leibniz-Institut für Neue Materialien

Novel Probiotic Strains From Honey and Fermented Edible Flowers Mitigate Chronic Cortisol-Induced Leaky Gut Syndrome in the CaCo2 Cell Model.
Encapsulation of Lactobacillus reuteri in Chia-Alginate Hydrogels for Whey-Based Functional Powders.
Stimuli-Responsive, Cell-Mediated Drug Delivery Systems: Engineering Smart Cellular Vehicles for Precision Therapeutics.
Corynebacterium glutamicum alleviated colitis by downregulating the TNF signaling pathway mediated by cIAP1/2 in mice.
Preparation and mechanism of Lactobacillus plantarum and curcumin co-encapsulated in alginate-gelatin hydrogel beads.
Optimized Formulation of Sulfasalazine and Probiotic-Loaded Carrageenan Microparticles Using Design of Experiments for Effective Colitis Management.
Chlorella-Loaded Bioglue with Antibacterial, Antioxidant, and Immunomodulatory Properties for Accelerated Wound Healing.

J Food Sci. 2025 Aug;90(8): e70464

Novel Probiotic Strains From Honey and Fermented Edible Flowers Mitigate Chronic Cortisol-Induced Leaky Gut Syndrome in the CaCo2 Cell Model.

Neelam Anil Revankar, Pradeep Singh Negi.

  Chronic stress and elevated cortisol levels can compromise intestinal barrier function, potentially leading to leaky gut syndrome and associated health conditions. The probiotic potential of novel strains isolated from honey and edible flowers was evaluated in the present study. Five strains identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (MP), Enterococcus lactis (PERI), Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (PARI), Lactocasiebacillus rhamnosus (M1A), and Enterococcus nangengnisis (KK) exhibited strong bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity. Furthermore, these strains produced short-chain fatty acids, including acetic acid (8.0 to 10.0 mM), butyric acid (0.3 to 0.5 mM) and propionic acid (1.8 to 2.5 mM), known to support gut health and immune modulation. Under chronic cortisol exposure, L. rhamnosus (M1A), L. plantarum (BAN), and L. plantarum (PARI) significantly alleviated tight junction disruption, experimentally proven by FITC dextran leakage and gene expression of zona occludin-1 (≤3-fold increase) and cadherin (≤4.36-fold increase) compared to the cortisol-treated CaCo2 cell model. These findings indicate that the novel probiotic strains can enhance intestinal barrier integrity under chronic stress conditions in a model system; however, they warrant further investigation for their potential application in functional foods targeting gut health. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Probiotic consumption improves gut microbiota balance and thereby enhances immune responses. Natural sources, including honey and edible flowers, are gaining attention for having a rich diversity of Lactic acid bacteria, which are known to have probiotic properties. Lactic acid bacterial strains isolated from these sources in the present study showed probiotic activity and produced short-chain fatty acids, supporting gastrointestinal health and immune responses. These strains can be used to develop functional food products for better gut health and overall well-being.

Keywords:  chronic cortisol stress; lactic acid bacteria; leaky gut; short‐chain fatty acids

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.70464
Gels. 2025 Aug 04. pii: 613. [Epub ahead of print]11(8):

Encapsulation of Lactobacillus reuteri in Chia-Alginate Hydrogels for Whey-Based Functional Powders.

Alma Yadira Cid-Córdoba, Georgina Calderón-Domínguez, María de Jesús Perea-Flores, Alberto Peña-Barrientos, Fátima Sarahi Serrano-Villa, Rigoberto Barrios-Francisco, Marcela González-Vázquez, Rentería-Ortega Minerva.

  This study aimed to develop a functional powder using whey and milk matrices, leveraging the protective capacity of chia-alginate hydrogels and the advantages of electrohydrodynamic spraying (EHDA), a non-thermal technique suitable for encapsulating probiotic cells under stress conditions commonly encountered in food processing. A hydrogel matrix composed of chia seed mucilage and sodium alginate was used to form a biopolymeric network that protected probiotic cells during processing. The encapsulation efficiency reached 99.0 ± 0.01%, and bacterial viability remained above 9.9 log10 CFU/mL after lyophilization, demonstrating the excellent protective capacity of the hydrogel matrix. Microstructural analysis using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) revealed well-retained cell morphology and homogeneous distribution within the hydrogel matrix while, in contrast, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed spherical, porous microcapsules with distinct surface characteristics influenced by the encapsulation method. Encapsulates were incorporated into beverages flavored with red fruits and pear and subsequently freeze-dried. The resulting powders were analyzed for moisture, protein, lipids, carbohydrates, fiber, and color determinations. The results were statistically analyzed using ANOVA and response surface methodology, highlighting the impact of ingredient ratios on nutritional composition. Raman spectroscopy identified molecular features associated with casein, lactose, pectins, anthocyanins, and other functional compounds, confirming the contribution of both matrix and encapsulants maintaining the structural characteristics of the product. The presence of antioxidant bands supported the functional potential of the powder formulations. Chia-alginate hydrogels effectively encapsulated L. reuteri, maintaining cell viability and enabling their incorporation into freeze-dried beverage powders. This approach offers a promising strategy for the development of next-generation functional food gels with enhanced probiotic stability, nutritional properties, and potential application in health-promoting dairy systems.

Keywords:  Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938; electrospraying; encapsulation; whey

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11080613
Pharmaceutics. 2025 Aug 21. pii: 1082. [Epub ahead of print]17(8):

Stimuli-Responsive, Cell-Mediated Drug Delivery Systems: Engineering Smart Cellular Vehicles for Precision Therapeutics.

Samson Sitheni Mashele.

  Stimuli-responsive, cell-mediated drug delivery systems represent a dynamic interface between biological functionality and engineered control. Leveraging the inherent targeting properties of erythrocytes, immune cells, stem cells, and exosomes, these systems offer a promising strategy for precise therapeutic delivery. In this review, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the design principles and biological underpinnings of stimuli-responsive carriers that release payloads in response to endogenous triggers (e.g., pH, redox, enzymatic activity) or external stimuli (e.g., light, ultrasound, magnetic fields). We further examine current strategies for loading and functionalizing cellular carriers, highlight key therapeutic applications across oncology and regenerative medicine, and assess translational progress and regulatory challenges. This review underscores the emerging clinical potential of intelligent cell-based delivery vehicles and outlines future directions for their optimization and implementation.

Keywords:  cell-mediated delivery; controlled release; erythrocytes; exosomes; immune cells; precision therapeutics; smart drug delivery; stem cells; stimuli-responsive

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17081082
Food Funct. 2025 Aug 21.

Corynebacterium glutamicum alleviated colitis by downregulating the TNF signaling pathway mediated by cIAP1/2 in mice.

Ting Liu, Qiang Meng, Yijun Zhang, Mengxi Yu, Jianming Ye, Wei Song, Yane Luo, Tianli Yue.

The gut microbiota and its associated micro-ecosystem are closely related to the onset and development of ulcerative colitis (UC). It is known that Corynebacterium glutamicum (C. glutamicum) helps rebuild gut eubiosis from diabetes dysbiosis; however, its effects on UC remain unknown. This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of C. glutamicum on UC. In this study, C. glutamicum was encapsulated with thiolated hyaluronic acid (HA-SH) to form a hydrogel, termed as CG-HA-SH. The adhesion and distribution of CG-HA-SH in the intestine were evaluated, along with its therapeutic effects on UC mice, including its impact on the gut microbiota. Additionally, changes in short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the intestines of UC mice were analyzed, and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was employed to investigate the mechanisms by which C. glutamicum alleviated inflammation. HA-SH enhanced the resistance of C. glutamicum in gastric and intestinal fluids, providing approximately 12 hours of adhesion at colitis inflammation sites. C. glutamicum reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory factors such as IL-1β (by 97.31%) and TNF-α (by 90.10%) while increasing anti-inflammatory IL-10 levels (by 197.59%) in the colon. It also increased the abundance of E. fissicatena, Muribaculum, and butyrate and enhanced intestinal tight junctions (OCC, by 318.93%) and the mucus barrier (MUC2, by 515.93%). The mRNA levels of cIAP1/2 decreased by 4.33-fold, and their protein expression levels were reduced by 36.97% correspondingly. The enrichment of the TNF pathway was the most significant. Therefore, C. glutamicum exhibited remarkable efficacy in alleviating inflammation and reshaping dysbiotic gut microbiota by downregulating the cIAP1/2-mediated TNF signaling pathway and NF-κB signaling pathway. cIAP1 and cIAP2 might serve as effective therapeutic targets.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/d5fo01880c
Food Chem. 2025 Aug 18. pii: S0308-8146(25)03246-7. [Epub ahead of print]493(Pt 3): 145995

Preparation and mechanism of Lactobacillus plantarum and curcumin co-encapsulated in alginate-gelatin hydrogel beads.

Rongmi Zhou, Fangfang Ni, Shiyi Wu, Xinyu Wang, Jing Ming, Lantong Zhang, Lijuan Dong, Zhijun Song, Gerui Ren, Min Huang, Shuangbin Xu, Qiong Zhang, Khaled F El-Massry, Hujun Xie.

  Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) and curcumin (CUR) were co-encapsulated in sodium alginate-Lactobacillus plantarum-curcumin-gelatin (ALG-LP-CUR-GE) hydrogel beads to evaluate the synergistic function of probiotics and prebiotics. The encapsulation efficiency of LP and CUR peaked at 84.6 % and 94.7 %, respectively. Results of scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction confirmed the encapsulation of LP and CUR in the hydrogel beads. In vitro digestion suggested that both CUR and LP can achieve successful release in the simulated intestinal fluid. The release kinetics of CUR showed that it exhibited predominantly Fickian release and non-Fickian release in gastric fluid and intestinal fluid, respectively. The application of co-encapsulated hydrogel beads in mimic milk tea illustrated that the viable count of LP remained above the minimum recommended threshold of 107 CFU/mL, offering a promising avenue for the delivery of synergistic probiotic and prebiotic functionalities.

Keywords:  Curcumin; Hydrogel; Lactobacillus; Mimic milk tea; Sustained release

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.145995
Recent Adv Drug Deliv Formul. 2025 Aug 18.

Optimized Formulation of Sulfasalazine and Probiotic-Loaded Carrageenan Microparticles Using Design of Experiments for Effective Colitis Management.

Sarmili Sahoo, Akshita Arora, Simranjeet Kaur, Diksha, Rohit Bhatia, Shamsher Singh, Raj Kumar Narang, Rajveer Singh, Naresh Kumar Rangra, Amandeep Singh.

   INTRODUCTION: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease marked by mucosal inflammation and epithelial barrier dysfunction. Sulfasalazine, a standard antiinflammatory drug, and probiotics, known for gut microbiota modulation, have both shown efficacy in UC management. However, their combined delivery to the colon remains underexplored. This study aimed to develop a colon-targeted microparticulate formulation containing sulfasalazine and a probiotic strain to enhance anti-inflammatory action and therapeutic effectiveness against UC.
METHODS: Microparticles were prepared using a Design of Experiments (DoE) approach, optimizing carrageenan and calcium chloride dihydrate concentrations and stirring speed. The probiotic was co-encapsulated to maintain viability during processing. In vitro evaluations included drug release studies and Caco-2 cell line assays for epithelial integrity, ROS generation, and NF-κB expression. In vivo efficacy was assessed using an acetic acid-induced colitis model, with evaluations based on inflammation severity, tissue damage and histopathology.
RESULTS: Optimized microparticles ensured sustained sulfasalazine release and preserved probiotic viability. In vitro, the formulation improved epithelial barrier function, reduced ROS and proinflammatory cytokines, and suppressed NF-κB expression. In vivo, treated animals showed significant reduction in colitis severity, improved tissue integrity and better histopathological outcomes compared to controls.
DISCUSSION: The combined sulfasalazine-probiotic microparticles effectively addressed both symptomatic relief and the inflammatory cascade in UC. Probiotics enhanced gut barrier protection, while sustained sulfasalazine release ensured localized therapeutic action. The synergy between drug and probiotic delivery offers a novel approach over conventional therapies.
CONCLUSION: This study presents a promising colon-targeted microparticulate system combining sulfasalazine and probiotics for effective UC management. The dual-action formulation offers enhanced anti-inflammatory efficacy, reduced tissue damage, and better disease control, supporting its potential in future clinical applications.

Keywords:  Saccharomyces boulardii; Ulcerative colitis; carrageenan; cellulose acetate phthalate; inflammatory bowel disease.; sulfasalazine

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2174/0126673878363141250731125303
Biomacromolecules. 2025 Aug 25.

Chlorella-Loaded Bioglue with Antibacterial, Antioxidant, and Immunomodulatory Properties for Accelerated Wound Healing.

Yuqin Zou, Xiaomei Dai, Siyuan Yuan, Xue Yang, Menglin Huang, Yongjie Zhang, Feng Gao.

Biological glue (bioglue) can noninvasively seal and reattach wound tissue outside the hospital, which has been extensively studied recently. Nevertheless, the commercial bioglue lacks constant oxygen supply, antioxidation, and anti-inflammation, three other key factors for bacteria-infected wound healing in plateau areas. Herein, a multifunctional bioglue (LA-DESP/ε-PLL@Chlorella) is simply fabricated by encapsulating Chlorella into a matrix composed of α-lipoic acid (LA), α-lipoic acid sodium (LANa), and ε-polylysine (ε-PLL). In vitro studies depicted that the LA-DESP/ε-PLL@Chlorella bioglue exhibits good adhesion, oxygen delivery, antioxidant, antibacterial, antibiofilm, and anti-inflammatory activities. Furthermore, in vivo experiments show that LA-DESP/ε-PLL@Chlorella bioglue could eradicate bacteria, reduce inflammation, and promote the healing of bacteria-infected wound. This multifunctional bioglue represents a promising concept and alternative therapeutic option for accelerating the healing of bacteria-infected wounds.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.biomac.5c01147