Photo‐induced Bacillus subtilis‐spore transformation for bowel disease therapy and therapeutic outcome visualization
Lin Kong,
Wei He,
Junyi Gong,
Zijie Qiu,
Zheng Zhao,
Ben Zhong Tang
Affiliations
Lin Kong
School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Anhui University Hefei China
Wei He
Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay Kowloon Hong Kong China
Junyi Gong
Clinical Translational Research Center of Aggregation‐Induced Emission, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Functional Aggregate Materials The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shenzhen (CUHK‐Shenzhen) Guangdong China
Zijie Qiu
Clinical Translational Research Center of Aggregation‐Induced Emission, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Functional Aggregate Materials The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shenzhen (CUHK‐Shenzhen) Guangdong China
Zheng Zhao
Clinical Translational Research Center of Aggregation‐Induced Emission, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Functional Aggregate Materials The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shenzhen (CUHK‐Shenzhen) Guangdong China
Ben Zhong Tang
Clinical Translational Research Center of Aggregation‐Induced Emission, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Functional Aggregate Materials The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shenzhen (CUHK‐Shenzhen) Guangdong China
Abstract Efficient strategies for transforming Bacillus subtilis vegetative cells into spores (BtS transformation) are still limited, although they show promise for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A novel, simple, and rapid photo‐induced BtS transformation mechanism is now presented that utilizes a novel aggregation‐induced emission luminogen (AIEgen) photosensitizer, triphenylamine‐benzothiadiazole‐pyridine‐p‐tolylboronic acid bromine salt (TBPBB), that generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) when exposed to light. The ROS selectively target and damage the membranes of Bacillus subtilis and trigger their transformation into spores. These spores demonstrate considerable promise for the effective treatment of IBD in a mouse disease model. Furthermore, the fluorescence signal generated by TBPBB can be used to directly visualize the recovery of damaged intestinal tissue. This is a valuable tool for monitoring the healing process and gaining insights into therapeutic efficacy. This study highlights the remarkable practical value of AIEgen‐induced BtS transformation for identifying, localizing, and visualizing the therapeutic outcomes of IBD treatments.
