Tsinghua Team Develops New Oral Nanodrug for Treating Ulcerative Colitis

A research team from Tsinghua University has developed an oral nanomedicine that can precisely target the lesions of ulcerative colitis (UC), rapidly suppress inflammation, and repair the intestinal barrier. The drug achieves a dual therapeutic effect by clearing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and targeting integrins, addressing two critical issues with one solution.

Ulcerative colitis is a challenging-to-cure intestinal disease affecting over 10 million people worldwide. Traditional treatments often suffer from significant side effects and suboptimal efficacy. The new drug design addresses two major challenges: local drug delivery and immune modulation, thereby improving treatment efficacy and reducing side effects.

The research team utilized ROS-responsive ε-polylysine and low molecular weight heparin to prepare nanospheres through layer-by-layer self-assembly technology. In vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed the drug's high efficiency and precision.

Additionally, the study inspired the design of a probiotic delivery system, enhancing the stability and activity of probiotics in the gastrointestinal tract through surface engineering, achieving efficient colon colonization.

In the future, combining AI technology is expected to further optimize drug design and delivery systems, offering more effective treatment options for ulcerative colitis patients.

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS): Active molecules produced during cellular metabolism, which can cause oxidative stress and inflammation when present in excess.

Integrins: Cell surface receptors involved in cell adhesion and signal transduction, highly expressed during inflammation.