Pectin-Zein-IPA nanoparticles promote functional recovery and alleviate neuroinflammation after spinal cord injury

Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 2025 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12951-025-03224-1 · Published: February 11, 2025

Spinal Cord Injury Gastroenterology Biomedical

Simple Explanation

Spinal cord injury (SCI) impairs the balance of gut microbiomes, which further aggravates inflammation in the injured areas and inhibits axonal regeneration. The researchers used Pectin-Zein-IPA NPs treatment, which improves motor function recovery, inhibits the activation of oxidative stress, enhances axonal regeneration and activates AKT/Nrf-2 signaling pathway following SCI. The study suggests that Pectin-Zein-IPA NPs have potential advantages for treatment and management of SCI. Reducing L-methionine intake may help reduce neuroinflammation after SCI.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

Two hundred female C57BL6/J mice

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Pec-Zein-IPA NPs treatment improves motor function recovery and activates AKT/Nrf-2 signaling pathway following SCI.
2
Pec-Zein-IPA NPs treatment reduced the intestinal flora metabolite accumulation of L-methionine, and alleviated neuroinflammation by improving autophagy and inhibiting pyroptosis.
3
Pec-Zein-IPA may reduced neuroinflammation after SCI by decreasing the abundance of Clostridia−UCG-014, Clostridia−vadinBB60−group, Shewanella and increasing the abundance of Parasutterella.

Research Summary

The intestinal microbiome plays an important role in SCI and regulating intestinal microbiome promotes SCI repair. Pectin-Zein-IPA NPs treatment improves motor function recovery, inhibits the activation of oxidative stress, enhances axonal regeneration and activates AKT/Nrf-2 signaling pathway following SCI. The results suggest that Pectin-Zein-IPA NPs have potential advantages for treatment and management of SCI. Reducing L-methionine intake may help reduce neuroinflammation after SCI.

Practical Implications

Oral Drug Delivery Strategy

This study provides a novel strategy for oral drug research in SCI by using Pectin-Zein nanoparticles as drug carriers.

SCI Treatment and Management

The results suggest that Pectin-Zein-IPA NPs have potential advantages for treatment and management of SCI.

Dietary Intervention

Reducing L-methionine intake may help reduce neuroinflammation after SCI.

Study Limitations

1
The roles of other amino acids following SCI remain to be investigated.
2
The study has not verified which of these gut flora play a major role in L-methionine accumulation.
3
The researchers could not explain how changes in other amino acids metabolism in intestinal microflora further affected immune cell function in the injured regions.

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