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Hacking Gut Bacteria Could Be The Future Of Medicine > MIT biologists are reprogramming gut bacteria as "live therapeutics."
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Sep 7, 2017, 2:12:14 AM9/7/17
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Hacking Gut Bacteria Could Be The Future Of Medicine
MIT biologists are reprogramming gut bacteria as "live therapeutics."
2 days ago
Carolyn Gregoire Senior Writer, The Huffington Post
COURTESY OF SYNLOGIC
Synlogic is harnessing the power of the microbiome to create a new class of living medications.
The human gut microbiome -- which includes the community of trillions of bacteria living within our intestines -- has been called one of the next big frontiers in medicine.
In recent years, a growing body of research has shown that the bacteria in our gut exert a powerful influence on our immune and endocrine systems, brain health, mood and cognitive function, and other key biological processes.
We know that the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut can keep us healthy -- or can contribute to disease. Now, the next step for this exciting medical frontier is learning how to leverage the power of the microbiome to treat disease.
In new research, biologists and medical engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are doing just that by reprogramming gut bacteria to act as "living therapeutics" that can correct the metabolic dysfunctions underlying certain ailments.
"It's become really clear that the bacteria living in us and on us affect our bodies in a variety of different ways -- in ways that we never imagined," Dr. Timothy Lu, a biological engineer at MIT, told The Huffington Post. "The old idea that people are just people and that everything that happens in our bodies is dictated by human cells and DNA is probably not the complete picture."
At the MIT offshoot biopharmaceutical lab Synlogic, which Lu co-founded, scientists are working to create a new class of medications called "synthetic biotics," DNA-programmed bacteria that perform important metabolic functions and can reduce inflammation on a highly localized level.
Beyond Probiotics
Synthetic biotics are based off of probiotics, those strains of "good" gut bacteria that can be taken in over-the-counter supplement form to support digestive and immune health by altering the balance of intestinal microbiota. They go a few steps beyond probiotics by actually programming the bacteria to perform certain functions.
"We start with the probiotics that you can literally buy over the counter at your local pharmacy," Lu explained. "We're trying to show that probiotics that are really engineered with our technologies can treat serious human diseases. So we take those probiotics and modify them so that we can significantly amplify their beneficial effects."
Here's how it works: Lu and Dr. Jim Collins, Synlogic co-founder and biological engineer, developed "genetic circuits" made of synthetic DNA or RNA that carry instructions for certain bacteria, telling them to seek out and cure infections. Essentially, the researchers are tweaking the genetic codes within the bacteria in order to program them like a computer.
The bacteria can be programmed, for instance, to detect inflammation in the gut and create anti-inflammatory molecules on the spot, as well as producing molecules to boost immune system function.
So far, the research team has focused on programming E. coli Nissle (not to be confused with plain E. coli), a strain of bacteria found in the gut that's widely used as a probiotic.
Using this method could offer certain advantages over traditional treatments for inflammatory digestive disorders like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis -- it's potentially more precise and safe than the commonly used anti-inflammatory treatments, the researchers say.
The microbiome is such an integral part of us that future drugs will need to work with and even through the microbiome."
Dr. Rodney Dietert, immunotoxicologist at Cornell University
Two synthetic biotics drug candidates -- designed to treat rare genetic metabolic disorders by flushing toxic substances out of the body -- are currently slated to enter clinical trials within the next year. Collins likens the drugs to "biological thermostats" -- they "detect and regulate the amount of an enzyme or metabolic byproduct in a patient's body."
One of the drugs is designed to treat urea cycle disorder, a rare condition affecting up to 6,000 people in the U.S. that impairs an individual's ability to process ammonia. The other is for phenylketonuria (PKU), an inherited condition that causes a dangerous excess of the amino acid phenylalanine (which is found in food that contains protein) to accumulate in the body, forcing patients to undertake an extremely low-protein diet. PKU affects roughly 13,000 people in the U.S.
"Synlogic is programming these probiotic microbes to consume ammonia or phenylalanine," Collins explained in a statement. "They are reaching levels that are expected to be clinically meaningful, which is quite remarkable."
Ultimately, Synlogic is looking to create synthetic biotic treatments for not only rare genetic disorders but also for a range of ailments with metabolic components, including autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular disease and central nervous system disorders.
A New Class Of Living Medicines
Scientists have already been looking into probiotics as treatment for illnesses with digestive and metabolic components. However, little clinical research has been conducted on probiotics, so we have only a limited knowledge of their potential effectiveness for various health conditions.
The project is one example of the intersection of microbiome research and synthetic biology, a burgeoning field that designs new biological components and redesigns existing ones.
"We're really hopeful," Lu said. "Ultimately, we want this to really impact people's health in a positive way."
Of course, there's still much work to be done. Getting the right dosage of the synthetic biotics is a challenge, as too little is ineffective and too much could act as an immunosuppressant.
In the meantime, Synlogic raised $40 million in venture capital just last year, and scientists are buzzing about the development.
"The microbiome is such an integral part of us that future drugs will need to work with and even through the microbiome," Dr. Rodney Dietert, an immunotoxicologist at Cornell University who is not involved with Synlogic and author of The Human Superorganism, said in an email. "This is a truly exciting development on a path toward medicines that work with the human superorganism."
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/gut-bacteria-microbiome-disease_us_57068c55e4b053766188f383?
MIT biologists are reprogramming gut bacteria as "live therapeutics."
2 days ago
Carolyn Gregoire Senior Writer, The Huffington Post
COURTESY OF SYNLOGIC
Synlogic is harnessing the power of the microbiome to create a new class of living medications.
The human gut microbiome -- which includes the community of trillions of bacteria living within our intestines -- has been called one of the next big frontiers in medicine.
In recent years, a growing body of research has shown that the bacteria in our gut exert a powerful influence on our immune and endocrine systems, brain health, mood and cognitive function, and other key biological processes.
We know that the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut can keep us healthy -- or can contribute to disease. Now, the next step for this exciting medical frontier is learning how to leverage the power of the microbiome to treat disease.
In new research, biologists and medical engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are doing just that by reprogramming gut bacteria to act as "living therapeutics" that can correct the metabolic dysfunctions underlying certain ailments.
"It's become really clear that the bacteria living in us and on us affect our bodies in a variety of different ways -- in ways that we never imagined," Dr. Timothy Lu, a biological engineer at MIT, told The Huffington Post. "The old idea that people are just people and that everything that happens in our bodies is dictated by human cells and DNA is probably not the complete picture."
At the MIT offshoot biopharmaceutical lab Synlogic, which Lu co-founded, scientists are working to create a new class of medications called "synthetic biotics," DNA-programmed bacteria that perform important metabolic functions and can reduce inflammation on a highly localized level.
Beyond Probiotics
Synthetic biotics are based off of probiotics, those strains of "good" gut bacteria that can be taken in over-the-counter supplement form to support digestive and immune health by altering the balance of intestinal microbiota. They go a few steps beyond probiotics by actually programming the bacteria to perform certain functions.
"We start with the probiotics that you can literally buy over the counter at your local pharmacy," Lu explained. "We're trying to show that probiotics that are really engineered with our technologies can treat serious human diseases. So we take those probiotics and modify them so that we can significantly amplify their beneficial effects."
Here's how it works: Lu and Dr. Jim Collins, Synlogic co-founder and biological engineer, developed "genetic circuits" made of synthetic DNA or RNA that carry instructions for certain bacteria, telling them to seek out and cure infections. Essentially, the researchers are tweaking the genetic codes within the bacteria in order to program them like a computer.
The bacteria can be programmed, for instance, to detect inflammation in the gut and create anti-inflammatory molecules on the spot, as well as producing molecules to boost immune system function.
So far, the research team has focused on programming E. coli Nissle (not to be confused with plain E. coli), a strain of bacteria found in the gut that's widely used as a probiotic.
Using this method could offer certain advantages over traditional treatments for inflammatory digestive disorders like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis -- it's potentially more precise and safe than the commonly used anti-inflammatory treatments, the researchers say.
The microbiome is such an integral part of us that future drugs will need to work with and even through the microbiome."
Dr. Rodney Dietert, immunotoxicologist at Cornell University
Two synthetic biotics drug candidates -- designed to treat rare genetic metabolic disorders by flushing toxic substances out of the body -- are currently slated to enter clinical trials within the next year. Collins likens the drugs to "biological thermostats" -- they "detect and regulate the amount of an enzyme or metabolic byproduct in a patient's body."
One of the drugs is designed to treat urea cycle disorder, a rare condition affecting up to 6,000 people in the U.S. that impairs an individual's ability to process ammonia. The other is for phenylketonuria (PKU), an inherited condition that causes a dangerous excess of the amino acid phenylalanine (which is found in food that contains protein) to accumulate in the body, forcing patients to undertake an extremely low-protein diet. PKU affects roughly 13,000 people in the U.S.
"Synlogic is programming these probiotic microbes to consume ammonia or phenylalanine," Collins explained in a statement. "They are reaching levels that are expected to be clinically meaningful, which is quite remarkable."
Ultimately, Synlogic is looking to create synthetic biotic treatments for not only rare genetic disorders but also for a range of ailments with metabolic components, including autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular disease and central nervous system disorders.
A New Class Of Living Medicines
Scientists have already been looking into probiotics as treatment for illnesses with digestive and metabolic components. However, little clinical research has been conducted on probiotics, so we have only a limited knowledge of their potential effectiveness for various health conditions.
The project is one example of the intersection of microbiome research and synthetic biology, a burgeoning field that designs new biological components and redesigns existing ones.
"We're really hopeful," Lu said. "Ultimately, we want this to really impact people's health in a positive way."
Of course, there's still much work to be done. Getting the right dosage of the synthetic biotics is a challenge, as too little is ineffective and too much could act as an immunosuppressant.
In the meantime, Synlogic raised $40 million in venture capital just last year, and scientists are buzzing about the development.
"The microbiome is such an integral part of us that future drugs will need to work with and even through the microbiome," Dr. Rodney Dietert, an immunotoxicologist at Cornell University who is not involved with Synlogic and author of The Human Superorganism, said in an email. "This is a truly exciting development on a path toward medicines that work with the human superorganism."
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/gut-bacteria-microbiome-disease_us_57068c55e4b053766188f383?
Jake
Jun 14, 2020, 11:39:12 PM6/14/20
to
Diet for prostatitis
Diet should be one of the cornerstones of treatment for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). Examining your diet is part of a whole-body approach to your health, especially since many causes of CP/CPPS and pelvic tension stem from problems that take place outside of the prostate. Certain foods and allergies to foods can create reactions in your body in the form of inflammation, and this can contribute to pelvic tension and pain. That is why looking at diet when diagnosing and treating CP/CPPS can help to eliminate inflammation.
Diet for prostatitis is part of the NPAT treatment program for CP/CPPS. NPAT stands for:
Natural treatments (ALCAT, elimination diets, and wheat-free diets)
Phytotherapy (pollen and quercetin together with probiotics)
Alternative Treatments (acupuncture, prostate massage, pelvic rehabilitation and therapy)
Total body (exercise, chronic stress management, lifestyle)
It is important for you to figure out and avoid foods that can exacerbate your symptoms. Common foods that have been found to exacerbate prostatitis symptoms include the following:
Spicy foods
Hot peppers
Alcoholic beverages
Acidic foods
Wheat
Gluten
Caffeine
Hot peppers derive their spiciness from capsaicin, which can increase rectal sensitivity in people with irritable bowel syndrome, a condition frequently found in men with CP/CPPS. Read more on Foods to Avoid.
Bowel health and prostatitis seem to be connected. That is why eating foods containing probiotics or taking quality probiotic supplements is part of a healthy diet for prostatitis. Probiotics are the beneficial, or helpful, gut microflora and include bacteria that normally reside in balance with other bacteria in the intestinal tract.
Other dietary causes of prostatitis could be related to a zinc deficiency or environmental pollutants like BPA (bisphenol-A), an ingredient in many plastic products and food containers such as canned foods, that seeps into the food supply.
Food intolerance or food allergies can also contribute to prostatitis. The symptoms of a food intolerance or allergy may include vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, or abdominal pain. If you have a food intolerance you may also experience gas, bloating, headache, cramps, irritability, and nervousness. A food allergy is an immune system response, and the symptoms generally can affect the entire body. In addition to the symptoms already named, a food allergy can cause hives, itchy skin, shortness of breath, a sudden drop in blood pressure, and difficulty swallowing. Food intolerance symptoms can be uncomfortable, but food allergy symptoms can be life threatening.
It can be challenging to identify an allergy or food intolerance. You may not react to a particular food for a few hours or even days. Your reaction may be a worsening of prostatitis symptoms instead of the common symptoms you would associate with an intolerance or allergy.
If you think that a food allergy or intolerance could be contributing to your prostatitis symptoms, try an elimination diet or consider undergoing allergy testing. Some tests like the ALCAT test do throw out false positives and can be costly, so trying an elimination diet might be a good start.
Many men find that going on a wheat-free diet or trying a gluten-free diet can help them manage their prostatitis symptoms. Wheat and a protein in wheat called gluten can cause inflammation, which can damage the body and cause illness. A gluten-free diet avoids barley, malt, triticale, and wheat.
In general, it is important to eat a healthy diet as part of managing your prostatitis. Avoid foods that commonly are associated with triggering prostatitis and try to include plenty of whole and natural foods such as the following:
Vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables
Fruits (but avoid acidic fruits if they affect your prostatitis)
High-quality protein (plant protein is better than animal)
Foods high in zinc or zinc supplements
Omega-3 fatty acids and healthy fats found in the Mediterranean diet
Foods high in fiber
Following the Mediterranean diet can help you reduce inflammation in your body. Reduce the red meat you eat and instead opt for fish, beans, lentils, and nuts, which are all low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Eat foods high in zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and lycopene, but if acidic tomatoes or fruits are a problem for your prostate try eliminating them. It is important to stay well hydrated with water, but you should avoid drinks like soda and caffeinated coffee or tea, which have been shown to exacerbate prostatitis symptoms. You should also limit or avoid alcohol, which can make symptoms worse.
Studies have shown that certain foods may help improve prostatitis symptoms. Foods and supplements that may help with prostate and urinary health include the following:
Calcium glycerophosphate (neutralizes acidic foods)
Docusate (softens stools)
Psyllium (fiber), polycarbophil (laxative)
Water
Baking soda
As you can see, some of the things that have helped prostatitis patients in studies also affect bowel health, which is why daily use of probiotics is also key when considering diet for prostatitis. By getting your diet under control and eliminating foods that could be causing your prostatitis symptoms, you are going to feel a lot better as a whole.
Editor’s comment:
Generally following a diet like the Mediterranean diet will help reduce inflammation and promote healthy bacteria and immunity. The Mediterranean diet also has many other benefits for heart, prostate, and general health. Try and limit alcohol to 1-2 glasses a day. Any more than that has been shown to negatively affect prostate health. Eat organic as much as possible within your budget. Make it a point of getting regular exercise to keep your weight under control as that will also help reduce inflammation.
Living with Prostatitis
Learning to Live with Prostatitis
Dealing with the Pain of Prostatitis
Can I Have Sex With Prostatitis?
Overcoming Depression with Prostatitis
Diet for Prostatitis
Products and Devices to Help With Prostatitis
Wheat-Free Diet for Prostatitis
Foods to Avoid for Prostatitis
Chemicals That Can Cause Prostatitis
Prostatitis and Pelvic Pain News
How Does Prostatitis Affect a Man’s Sexual Function?
What Professions Have the Highest Risk of Prostatitis?
What’s the Risk of Abscess in Prostatitis Patients?
Aggressive Prostate Cancer Rates Up Nearly 100%
Can A Pelvic Wand Treat Prostatitis?
http://prostatitis.net/living-with-prostatitis/diet-for-prostatitis/
Diet should be one of the cornerstones of treatment for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). Examining your diet is part of a whole-body approach to your health, especially since many causes of CP/CPPS and pelvic tension stem from problems that take place outside of the prostate. Certain foods and allergies to foods can create reactions in your body in the form of inflammation, and this can contribute to pelvic tension and pain. That is why looking at diet when diagnosing and treating CP/CPPS can help to eliminate inflammation.
Diet for prostatitis is part of the NPAT treatment program for CP/CPPS. NPAT stands for:
Natural treatments (ALCAT, elimination diets, and wheat-free diets)
Phytotherapy (pollen and quercetin together with probiotics)
Alternative Treatments (acupuncture, prostate massage, pelvic rehabilitation and therapy)
Total body (exercise, chronic stress management, lifestyle)
It is important for you to figure out and avoid foods that can exacerbate your symptoms. Common foods that have been found to exacerbate prostatitis symptoms include the following:
Spicy foods
Hot peppers
Alcoholic beverages
Acidic foods
Wheat
Gluten
Caffeine
Hot peppers derive their spiciness from capsaicin, which can increase rectal sensitivity in people with irritable bowel syndrome, a condition frequently found in men with CP/CPPS. Read more on Foods to Avoid.
Bowel health and prostatitis seem to be connected. That is why eating foods containing probiotics or taking quality probiotic supplements is part of a healthy diet for prostatitis. Probiotics are the beneficial, or helpful, gut microflora and include bacteria that normally reside in balance with other bacteria in the intestinal tract.
Other dietary causes of prostatitis could be related to a zinc deficiency or environmental pollutants like BPA (bisphenol-A), an ingredient in many plastic products and food containers such as canned foods, that seeps into the food supply.
Food intolerance or food allergies can also contribute to prostatitis. The symptoms of a food intolerance or allergy may include vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, or abdominal pain. If you have a food intolerance you may also experience gas, bloating, headache, cramps, irritability, and nervousness. A food allergy is an immune system response, and the symptoms generally can affect the entire body. In addition to the symptoms already named, a food allergy can cause hives, itchy skin, shortness of breath, a sudden drop in blood pressure, and difficulty swallowing. Food intolerance symptoms can be uncomfortable, but food allergy symptoms can be life threatening.
It can be challenging to identify an allergy or food intolerance. You may not react to a particular food for a few hours or even days. Your reaction may be a worsening of prostatitis symptoms instead of the common symptoms you would associate with an intolerance or allergy.
If you think that a food allergy or intolerance could be contributing to your prostatitis symptoms, try an elimination diet or consider undergoing allergy testing. Some tests like the ALCAT test do throw out false positives and can be costly, so trying an elimination diet might be a good start.
Many men find that going on a wheat-free diet or trying a gluten-free diet can help them manage their prostatitis symptoms. Wheat and a protein in wheat called gluten can cause inflammation, which can damage the body and cause illness. A gluten-free diet avoids barley, malt, triticale, and wheat.
In general, it is important to eat a healthy diet as part of managing your prostatitis. Avoid foods that commonly are associated with triggering prostatitis and try to include plenty of whole and natural foods such as the following:
Vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables
Fruits (but avoid acidic fruits if they affect your prostatitis)
High-quality protein (plant protein is better than animal)
Foods high in zinc or zinc supplements
Omega-3 fatty acids and healthy fats found in the Mediterranean diet
Foods high in fiber
Following the Mediterranean diet can help you reduce inflammation in your body. Reduce the red meat you eat and instead opt for fish, beans, lentils, and nuts, which are all low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Eat foods high in zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and lycopene, but if acidic tomatoes or fruits are a problem for your prostate try eliminating them. It is important to stay well hydrated with water, but you should avoid drinks like soda and caffeinated coffee or tea, which have been shown to exacerbate prostatitis symptoms. You should also limit or avoid alcohol, which can make symptoms worse.
Studies have shown that certain foods may help improve prostatitis symptoms. Foods and supplements that may help with prostate and urinary health include the following:
Calcium glycerophosphate (neutralizes acidic foods)
Docusate (softens stools)
Psyllium (fiber), polycarbophil (laxative)
Water
Baking soda
As you can see, some of the things that have helped prostatitis patients in studies also affect bowel health, which is why daily use of probiotics is also key when considering diet for prostatitis. By getting your diet under control and eliminating foods that could be causing your prostatitis symptoms, you are going to feel a lot better as a whole.
Editor’s comment:
Generally following a diet like the Mediterranean diet will help reduce inflammation and promote healthy bacteria and immunity. The Mediterranean diet also has many other benefits for heart, prostate, and general health. Try and limit alcohol to 1-2 glasses a day. Any more than that has been shown to negatively affect prostate health. Eat organic as much as possible within your budget. Make it a point of getting regular exercise to keep your weight under control as that will also help reduce inflammation.
Living with Prostatitis
Learning to Live with Prostatitis
Dealing with the Pain of Prostatitis
Can I Have Sex With Prostatitis?
Overcoming Depression with Prostatitis
Diet for Prostatitis
Products and Devices to Help With Prostatitis
Wheat-Free Diet for Prostatitis
Foods to Avoid for Prostatitis
Chemicals That Can Cause Prostatitis
Prostatitis and Pelvic Pain News
How Does Prostatitis Affect a Man’s Sexual Function?
What Professions Have the Highest Risk of Prostatitis?
What’s the Risk of Abscess in Prostatitis Patients?
Aggressive Prostate Cancer Rates Up Nearly 100%
Can A Pelvic Wand Treat Prostatitis?
http://prostatitis.net/living-with-prostatitis/diet-for-prostatitis/
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