How will it be to form a new regenerative therapy using stem cells to have control over gut microbes? This would open up many doors to tracing the roots of various diseases caused due to gut microbes. This is how scientists at the University of Toronto are devising a tailor-made gut-inhabited microbe to release drugs when instructed.

The team led by associate professor David McMillen is on their quest to develop regenerative medicine therapeutics to discover etiologies of intestinal diseases. In order to do so, they are eyeing to put an engineered bacterium into the gut to detect the source of different diseases occurred by the gut bacteria.

Intestinal stem cells are like progenitor or hematopoietic stem cells with an ability to proliferate and differentiate, and they are well-endowed with self-renewal capacity. Hence, when there are a wear and tear in the intestinal tissues, they can easily manage the damaged tissues through self-renewal capacity. Taking this into account, the scientists are collecting intestinal stem cells for regeneration in a culture dish, aiming to improve their capacity of natural healing power in the body, and also foster the tissue regeneration for replacement.

The discoveries of science have us going surprised by its amazing traits and functions inside the body. Much to our surprises, nearly 100 billion cells confront an exit every day through an intestine as a result of extreme wear and tear, which occurs due to the digestion process in the body. However, due to these lost cells, we do not suffer any extreme health condition unless something goes wrong with the entire physical systems. We must thank to stem cells to replenish all these lost cells in collaboration with the intestines, and lend their assistance in repairing damaged tissues. However, when stem cell therapy cannot provide its support for tissue repair, we can suffer from a range of diseases from inflammatory bowel disease to cancer.

The prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease or IBD is quite high among the children aged fewer than six. Adults are also not safe from various types of IBD like Chron’s disease or ulcerative colitis, impacting heavily on the quality of the lives of every person suffering it.
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Replacing damaged or malfunction cells in the intestines are the normal functions of stem cells. However, the cells in the intestinal lining do not get any replacement, it is to create a hole in the gut, and as a result, the leaky gut cannot digest food properly, detoxify the wastes and ward off microbes from the gut. Therefore, the gut becomes vulnerable to developing IBD.

The microbiome- the resident gut bacteria, often considered as a neglected organ is one of the crucial parts of our bodies to help us tackle many diseases by boosting our immune system. Hence, scientists inserted engineered gut microbe into the lining of the gut wall so as the manipulated microbe can detect an inflammation and possibly help find ways to treat and even cure IBD.
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In addition, the gut bacteria are wired to secreting an enzyme called muramyl dipeptide (MDP), which makes a connection with receptor NOD2, residing in the stem cells. As per reports, this enzyme works in compliance with this receptor to influence intestinal stem cells to divide and create new cells for lining repair.

It is likely to manipulate the gut bacterium to increase the production of MDP enzyme so as to curb the inflammation in the intestine. It is possible to trigger human receptors to urge Stem Cells so that they can double the healing of the gut lining and cure Crohn’s disease.

From the study, we can hope for a fruitful approach in the future, which can better health using stem cells and the regenerative therapeutics and medicines. The days are not so far when we can achieve relief from these debilitating conditions with ease. And credits remain at the foot of stem cells.