Magnetic Living Hydrogels for Intestinal Localization, Retention, and Diagnosis

Natural microbial sensing circuits can be rewired into new gene networks to build living sensors that detect and respond to disease‐associated biomolecules. However, synthetic living sensors, once ingested, are cleared from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract within 48 h; retaining devices in the intest...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Advanced functional materials 2021-07, Vol.31 (27), p.n/a
Main Authors: Liu, Xinyue, Yang, Yueying, Inda, Maria Eugenia, Lin, Shaoting, Wu, Jingjing, Kim, Yoonho, Chen, Xiaoyu, Ma, Dacheng, Lu, Timothy K., Zhao, Xuanhe
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biomolecules
blood sensors
Hydrogels
ingestible materials
intestinal retention
Intestine
Localization
magnetic hydrogels
Materials science
Microorganisms
Retention
Sensors
synthetic biology
Temperature sensors
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Summary:Natural microbial sensing circuits can be rewired into new gene networks to build living sensors that detect and respond to disease‐associated biomolecules. However, synthetic living sensors, once ingested, are cleared from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract within 48 h; retaining devices in the intestinal lumen is prone to intestinal blockage or device migration. To localize synthetic microbes and safely extend their residence in the GI tract for health monitoring and sustained drug release, an ingestible magnetic hydrogel carrier is developed to transport diagnostic microbes to specific intestinal sites. The magnetic living hydrogel is localized and retained by attaching a magnet to the abdominal skin, resisting the peristaltic waves in the intestine. The device retention is validated in a human intestinal phantom and an in vivo rodent model, showing that the ingestible hydrogel maintains the integrated living bacteria for up to seven days, which allows the detection of heme for GI bleeding in the harsh environment of the gut. The retention of microelectronics is also demonstrated by incorporating a temperature sensor into the magnetic hydrogel carrier. An ingestible hydrogel device is localized and retained in the intestine by attaching a magnet to the abdominal skin, and the living microbial sensors integrated in the hydrogel device can detect gastrointestinal bleeding in a rodent model.
ISSN:1616-301X
1616-3028
DOI:10.1002/adfm.202010918