So far, the pills featuring the disease-fighting microrobots have been tested on mice with promising success and the researchers are now focusing on irritable bowel disease caused by a cellular dysfunction.

Source: UC San Diego

The researchers explained that in IBD, macrophages, which are a type of immune cell, begin producing excess levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. These proteins then adhere to macrophage receptors that trigger them to create even more of the inflammatory protein. However, the UC San Diego researchers claim that they can break that cycle with a microrobot.

The team added that what makes this drug-free approach effective is that it leverages the natural cell membrane to absorb and subsequently neutralize pro-inflammatory cytokines.

The IBD biohybrid robot was designed by combining algae with macrophage membrane-coated nanoparticles (MΦNPs) to target and neutralize the pro-inflammatory cytokines.

A pH coating was developed to protect the tiny robot within the pill from the acidity of the stomach as it completes its journey to the human colon. The pH coating surrounding the liquid capsule reportedly matches the pH in the colon and it effectively “neutralizes colonic cytokine levels,” thus treating the disease at the source better than current medications.

During trails on mice, the researchers discovered that the microrobot remained in the colonic area for up to 12 hours post-administration. Further, after a 10-day trial, “the formulation had no significant impact on the mice’s body weight, blood chemistry, blood cell counts, and gastrointestinal tissues compared to the control group, confirming its excellent biosafety profile.”

The team also added that the microrobot treatment reportedly reduced fecal bleeding, improved stool consistency, reversed IBD-induced weight loss and reduced inflammation in the colon, all without evident side effects.

A paper describing the microrobot, “Biohybrid microrobots regulate colonic cytokine levels and modulate epithelium barrier restoration in inflammatory bowel disease,” appears in the journal Science Robotics.