Magnetic Living Hydrogels for Intestinal Localization, Retention, and Diagnosis. (23rd April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Xinyue; Yang, Yueying; Inda, Maria Eugenia; Lin, Shaoting; Wu, Jingjing; Kim, Yoonho; Chen, Xiaoyu; Ma, Dacheng; Lu, Timothy K.; Zhao, Xuanhe
• Is Part Of: Advanced functional materials. Volume 31:Number 27(2021)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2021-04-23
• Subjects: blood sensors -- ingestible materials -- intestinal retention -- magnetic hydrogels -- synthetic biology; Materials -- Periodicals; Chemical vapor deposition -- Periodicals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202010918
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1616-301X

Abstract

Abstract: 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. Abstract : 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.