Scientists discover biomimetic macrophage technology to combat antibiotic resistance

A research team led by Shuilin Wu at Tianjin University, China, has made a discovery in the field of intelligent catalysis.

Infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria, such as MDR Escherichia coli (E. coli), pose a significant challenge to health care professionals worldwide.

The lack of safe antibiotics and the high fatality rates associated with anti-infection therapies have prompted researchers to explore innovative solutions. The research team at Tianjin University has developed a biomimetic intelligent catalysis approach inspired by the selective biocatalytic property of macrophages, which shows promise in combating MDR E. coli infections without harming normal cells.

The intelligent catalysis system consists of two main components: a living macrophage (M?) acting as an intelligent controlling center and Fe3O4@poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles functioning as a Fenton reaction catalyst.

The M?–Fe3O4@PLGA particles, also referred to as intelligent catalysis particles, exhibit selective biocatalysis activity against MDR E. coli by producing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and lipid droplets (LDs). RNA sequencing data analysis revealed that this process activates lipid metabolism and glycan biosynthesis and metabolism pathways.

Image source: Jieni Fu et al. (2023), Engineering.