Microbial therapeutics for acute colitis based on genetically modified Lactococcus lactis hypersecreting IL-1Ra in mice

Exp Mol Med. 2020 Sep;52(9):1627-1636. doi: 10.1038/s12276-020-00507-5. Epub 2020 Sep 28.

Abstract

The increased incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Western and rapidly Westernizing developing countries poses a global pandemic threat. The development of affordable drugs for treating IBD worldwide is thus a priority. Genetically modified lactic acid bacteria (gmLAB) as microbial therapeutics are inexpensive protein producers suitable for use as carriers of protein to the intestinal mucosa. Here, we successfully constructed gmLAB hypersecreting interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra). Oral administration of these gmLAB suppressed body weight reduction and exacerbation of the disease activity index score in mice with acute colitis and decreased the number of CD4+ IL-17A+ cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes. These data suggest that the gmLAB deliver IL-1Ra to the colon, where it inhibits IL-1 signaling. We thus developed a novel IBD therapeutic that blocks IL-1 signaling using a gmLAB protein delivery system. This system could be an inexpensive oral microbial therapeutic.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Colitis / etiology
  • Colitis / therapy*
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome
  • Gene Expression
  • Genetic Engineering
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / etiology
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / metabolism
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / pathology
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / therapy
  • Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein / administration & dosage
  • Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein / biosynthesis*
  • Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein / genetics*
  • Intestinal Mucosa / metabolism
  • Intestinal Mucosa / microbiology
  • Lactococcus lactis / genetics*
  • Lactococcus lactis / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Recombinant Proteins / administration & dosage
  • Recombinant Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein
  • Recombinant Proteins