Smart Hydrogel Delivers Growth Factors to Repair Gut Barrier in Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is a chronic, debilitating inflammatory bowel disease characterized by inflammation and ulceration of the colon lining. A key feature of UC pathogenesis is the breakdown of the intestinal mucosal barrier, which allows harmful substances to penetrate and exacerbate inflammation. Existing treatments often have systemic side effects or limited efficacy in restoring the damaged barrier, highlighting a critical need for targeted therapies. This study addresses the knowledge gap of effectively delivering therapeutic growth factors directly to the inflamed colon to promote mucosal healing and barrier restoration.

The GF-Hydrogel treatment significantly attenuated colitis severity compared to untreated controls. The disease activity index (DAI) was reduced by over 50% (p<0.001) in the GF-Hydrogel group. Histopathological scores, indicating inflammation and tissue damage, showed a 65% decrease (p<0.001) in treated mice. The most significant finding was the robust restoration of the intestinal mucosal barrier, evidenced by a 2.5-fold increase in the expression of tight junction proteins ZO-1 and occludin (p<0.01) compared to untreated colitis mice. Furthermore, inflammatory markers such as myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were reduced by 43% (p<0.05), and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels (e.g., TNF-α, IL-6) in colon tissue were decreased by over 60% (p<0.01). This demonstrated that the GF-Hydrogel not only reduced inflammation but actively promoted tissue repair.