Prebiotic Microcapsule-Encapsulated Pterostilbene Alleviates Ulcerative Colitis by Regulating the Intestinal Microenvironment and Activating AHR/IL-22 Pathway

作者：Huanyu Li, Ziwei Yang, Chuanyu Zhang, Xueyong Wei, Wenjing Wang, Ting Bai, Zhichao Deng, Bowen Gao, Manli Cui, Weixuan Jing, Mingzhen Zhang, Zhaoxiang Yu, Mingxin Zhang · 发表于：Engineering · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1016/j.eng.2025.04.026 · 被引用次数：3 · 研究领域：Gut microbiota and health、Digestive system and related health、Gastrointestinal motility and disorders

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic, non-specific inflammatory disorder of the intestines whose etiology is influenced by various factors. Intestinal barrier impairment due to disturbances in the intestinal microenvironment is a key feature of UC. Current therapeutic strategies are constrained in their capacity to fully restore the intestinal barrier and achieve comprehensive resolution of inflammation in a coordinated manner. In this study, we constructed a pterostilbene (PSB)-loaded prebiotic microcapsule (PSB@MC) using a microfluidic electrospray method and characterized it using various means. Its safety, biodistribution, protective, and therapeutic effects on colitis were evaluated in various animal models. The potential mechanisms by which PSB@MC exerts its therapeutic effects were subsequently explored. The results indicated that PSB@MC exhibited favorable biocompatibility and facilitated targeted delivery of PSB to the colon. Moreover, the wrinkled morphology of PSB@MC contributed to prolonged drug retention in the colon. Oral PSB@MC administration restored intestinal microenvironment homeostasis by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS), decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokines, modulating gut microbiota and metabolism, and providing protective and therapeutic benefits against dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis. Additionally, our research demonstrated that PSB@MC could activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor/interleukin-22 (AHR/IL-22) pathway to enhance the integr...