Bile Acid-Producing Bacteria for Intestinal Microbiome Modulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for novel methods and compositions to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other intestinal disorders by targeting the gut microbiome and its metabolites, as existing treatments like antibiotics and immunosuppressants have limitations.
Innovation Solution
The use of a pharmaceutical composition, dietary supplement, or functional food containing bacteria capable of producing bile acids, such as C. hiranonis and C. scindens, which include a bile acid-inducible operon, to modulate the gut microbiome and treat intestinal disorders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If antibiotics are used to treat intestinal disorders, then bacterial infection is reduced, but gut microbiome balance is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces specific probiotic bacteria (Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Enterococcus strains) as intermediary organisms that restore gut microbiome balance after antibiotic treatment. These probiotics act as mediators between the harmful effect of antibiotics and the need for microbiome stability, colonizing the gut to displace pathogenic bacteria and restore ecological balance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful disruption caused by antibiotics into a beneficial opportunity by introducing probiotic strains that thrive in the post-antibiotic environment. The antibiotic-induced microbiome vulnerability is transformed into a window of opportunity for probiotic colonization, which then provides long-term benefits including enhanced gut barrier function and immune modulation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If immunosuppressants are used to manage IBD, then immune response is reduced, but infection risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs probiotic bacteria that provide self-service immune modulation functions. These probiotics produce their own antimicrobial substances (bacteriocins, hydrogen peroxide) and stimulate the host's immune system to produce anti-inflammatory cytokines, creating a self-regulating system that reduces dependency on external immunosuppressants while maintaining infection protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The probiotic bacteria serve as intermediaries between the immune system and pathogenic threats. They modulate immune responses by interacting with gut-associated lymphoid tissue, promoting regulatory T cell development, and producing anti-inflammatory metabolites, thereby reducing the need for immunosuppressants while maintaining protective immunity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If monoclonal antibodies are used for IBD treatment, then specific immune targets are blocked, but overall immune function is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses multiple distinct probiotic strains (Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium longum, Enterococcus faecium) that target different immune pathways and mechanisms. This segmentation of probiotic functions provides comprehensive immune modulation through diverse mechanisms including bacteriocin production, cell wall component stimulation, and metabolite generation, avoiding over-reliance on any single immune pathway.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If existing IBD treatments are used, then symptom management is achieved, but underlying microbiome causes are not addressed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary probiotic colonization before or during conventional IBD treatment to prevent microbiome disruption rather than addressing it afterward. The probiotics are introduced in advance to establish a protective microbiome foundation that prevents pathogenic overgrowth and maintains gut barrier integrity throughout the treatment course, addressing the root cause rather than just symptoms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The described approach promotes intestinal health, induces remission of intestinal disorders, and modulates the gut microbiome by increasing bile acid production, thereby addressing the underlying causes of IBD and other intestinal issues.
Implementation Method 1
a bacterium capable of producing a first bile acid
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are methods for determining susceptibility of an intestinal disorder in a companion animal. These methods include measuring a first amount of a first intestinal microorganism and/or a second amount of a second intestinal microorganism in the companion animal; comparing the first amount of the first intestinal microorganism with a first reference amount of the first intestinal microorganism, and/or comparing the second amount of the second intestinal microorganism with a second reference amount of the second intestinal microorganism; and determining that the companion animal is susceptible of an intestinal disorder, when the first amount of the intestinal microorganism is higher than the first reference amount of the first intestinal microorganism, and/or when the second amount of the second intestinal microorganism is lower than the second reference amount of the second intestinal microorganism.