Search for question
Question

Engineering Probiotics for Stress Hormone Modulation and Diabetes Management Introduction: Developing probiotics to regulate stress hormones and manage diabetes serves a cutting-edge initiative at the intersection of healthcare innovation, microbiome research, and synthetic biology. Using probiotics, researchers aim to produce bioengineered strains with the ability to regulate stress hormone levels, which have been linked to the onset and advancement of diabetes (Kandori et al., 2023). This approach makes use of the current discoveries in the field of genetic engineering to develop probiotic bacteria with enhanced properties, such as the ability to produce hormones or enzymes that regulate glucose metabolism and stress reactions (Jones & Smith, 2022). Moreover, the incorporation of probiotics into the management of diabetes exhibits potential in tackling the complex nature of the disease, providing a possible path for both prevention and treatment. This strategy could help decrease the adverse impacts of psychosocial stressors on metabolic health by regulating stress hormone levels with engineered probiotics, enhancing current therapeutic modalities including insulin therapy and lifestyle interventions (Wang et al., 2023). Probiotics' adaptability and biocompatibility are further highlighted by their use as a carrier for medicinal drugs, which allows for focused control to the gut and reduces systemic side effects (Chen et al., 2022). Furthermore, this study is in alignment with the growing body of research that shows the significance of gut microbiota in metabolic disorders, providing a basis for more individualised treatment that target the microbiota to better manage diabetes (Gupta et al., 2024). Problem Definition and justification: The growing incidence of diabetes and the adverse effects of chronic stress on metabolic health provide two major global health concerns that are intersected by the engineering of probiotics for stress hormone modulation and diabetes treatment. There may be a connection between stress and the development or worsening of diabetes, as recent studies have clarified the complex interactions between stress hormones, particularly cortisol, and glucose metabolism (Kyrou & Tsigos, 2020). Furthermore, it has been shown that dietary and stress-related disturbance of the gut microbiota has a significant role in the development of metabolic diseases such diabetes (Guo et al., 2023). Given the significant impact diabetes and its consequences—such as cardiovascular disease, neuropathy, and nephropathy-have on public health, resolving this issue is critical (American Diabetes Association, 2022). Moreover, the psychological and financial consequences of prolonged stress emphasise how urgent it is to create efficient treatments that reduce its negative impacts on metabolic health (Chrousos & Kino, 2021). Researchers aim to provide a targeted and potentially customised approach to diabetes management by creating probiotics that can modulate stress hormone levels, addressing both the physiological and psychological aspects of the condition. This study has the potential to greatly enhance the quality of life of people with diabetes by expanding the knowledge of the gut-brain axis and opening the door to novel therapeutic approaches. Research objectives: To develop bioengineered probiotics capable of modulating stress hormone levels for improved diabetes management. 1. To design genetically engineered probiotic strains that have control on stress chemicals in the gut, such as cortisol and adrenaline. 2. To examine the safety and in vitro effectiveness of the modified probiotics in regulating stress hormone levels using gut epithelium cell culture models. 3. To examine how modified probiotics might be used therapeutically to improve metabolic outcomes in preclinical models and reduce diabetes-related complications. 4. To optimise the stability, viability, and targeted distribution of designed probiotics to the gastrointestinal tract, improve formulation and delivery techniques. Methods and procedures: 1. Culture and grow a suitable probiotic host like lactobacilli or bifidobacteria on culture media and agar plates for genetic modification 2. Manipulate the host organism's genome using plasmids, restriction enzymes, PCR kits and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing tools. 3. Clone target genes to isolate and amplify them to produce or degrade stress chemicals using cloning kits including DNA ligase, competent cells and transformation reagents. Analyze DNA fragments using gel electrophoresis. 4. Design genetic construct suitable for expression in the host by combining the target genes and regulatory elements like promoters and terminators by DNA synthesis services and plasmid design software. 5. Transform the genetic construct to the probiotic host using electroporation or bacterial conjugation kits. 6. Using selectable marker genes like antibiotic resistance genes, reporter gene assays for monitoring gene expression, and PCR to screen the transformed strains to identify those that have successfully incorporated the desired genetic constructs. 7. Characterize the engineered probiotic strains using biochemical assay kits like Cortisol ELISA Kit (e.g., Abcam) and Adrenaline (Epinephrine) ELISA Kit to confirm their ability to control the target stress chemicals. In addition to the use of genome sequencing like Illumina MiSeq, Oxford Nanopore MinIONfor to confirm genomic modifications. 8. Test the engineered probiotic strains in simulated gut model like TIM-1 (TNO Intestinal Model) to assess their efficacy and stability under conditions mimicking the human digestive system. Expected outcomes: After successfully modifying probiotics that has the potential to provide specific and tailored therapies for diabetics, addressing the physiological and psychosocial aspects of the disease. The findings of this research could result in novel treatment approaches that raise patient quality of life, decrease complications associated with diabetes, and improve metabolic results. Furthermore, this study could lead to a better comprehension of the gut-brain axis and open the door for the creation of probiotic treatments of the next generation for metabolic diseases and other stress-related diseases. Resources needed: Resources Gut cell lines Total Resources Gut cell lines Total Price Price References: Chen, Y., Zhang, L., Hong, G., & Zhang, Y. (2022). Engineering probiotics for targeted drug delivery: Recent advances and future perspectives. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 179, 114036. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addr.2021.12.013 Gupta, V. K., Paul, S., & Dutta, C. (2024). Gut microbiota: The next-gen target for therapeutic intervention in metabolic disorders. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 15, 937842. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2024.937842 Jones, A. B., & Smith, C. D. (2022). Engineering probiotic bacteria for stress hormone modulation: Current progress and future directions. Trends in Biotechnology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2022.01.001 Kandori, K., Hirose, Y., & Nakai, K. (2023). Engineering probiotics for stress hormone modulation and diabetes management: A review of recent advancements. Journal Biotechnology, 351, 1-9. of https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiotec. 2023.01.001 Wang, Q., Wang, Z., Zhuang, Z., & Li, J. (2023). Engineering probiotics for diabetes management: Challenges and opportunities. Frontiers in Microbiology, 14, 702813. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2023.702813 American Diabetes Association. (2022). Economic costs of diabetes in the U.S. in 2022. Diabetes Care, 45(3), 732-742. https://doi.org/10.2337/dci22-er03 Chrousos, G. P., & Kino, T. (2021). Glucocorticoid signaling in the cell: Expanding clinical implications to complex human behavioral and somatic disorders. Annals of the York Academy of Sciences, 1518(1), 53-71. New https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.14564 Guo, Y., Liu, Y., Zhang, Y., Liu, L., Zhang, Y., Zhang, L., Wen, W., Zhao, S., & Zhang, L. (2023). Dysbiosis of gut microbiota is closely associated with the pathogenesis of different types of diabetes mellitus. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 145, 112442. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2022.112442 Kyrou, I., & Tsigos, C. (2020). Stress hormones: Physiological stress and regulation of metabolism. Current Opinion in Pharmacology, 50, 196-202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coph.2020.08.002/n Research Methodology Spring 2023- 2024 Exercise on Planning Your Research Project Prepare an outline of a project proposal which includes the following four sections. Your answers should be fairly short (a paragraph or two), with the total length of the assignment no longer than 3-4 pages. We are looking for quality of thought, not quantity. Project proposals submission will be due on Submit your assignment by e-mail. 1. Introduction: Introduce your research project using some related scientific articles and statistics. Cite the relevant references (use APA format). 2. Problem Definition (Justification) Describe the problem you plan to address and state why the intended research is important. This problem should not be too broad, but should focus on an important research question which can be addressed in your Master's Program. Cite the relevant references (use APA format). 3. Research Objectives List the objectives of the proposed research stating a one sentence general objective (or goal) and a numbered list of specific objectives. 4. Methods and Procedures Describe how the research will be conducted. Generally, what kind data will you collect and what analytical techniques or procedures do you expect to use? 5. Expected outcomes Briefly describe the expected outcomes of this proposed project. 6. Resources Needed Briefly consider the kinds of resources you will need to conduct the research (time, money, information ...) after considering the resources needed, you may need to make some adjustments in the above sections to be realistic. 7. References Format your references using APA style