A technology has been developed that directly controls bacteria living in the intestine via smartphones, detecting and treating inflammation signals. Its effectiveness has been confirmed in animal experiments conducted on pigs, and it is expected to bring significant innovations in diagnosing or treating human intestinal diseases in the future.
Researchers from Tianjin University in China and Northwest A&F University announced on the 29th that they have developed a "smart capsule" capable of wirelessly communicating with intestinal bacteria. The research results were published that day in the international journal "Nature Microbiology."
Numerous microorganisms inhabit the human intestine. Besides aiding digestion, intestinal bacteria also influence various diseases. They are known to impact metabolic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, as well as heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, and even neurological disorders such as depression, dementia, autism, and Parkinson's disease.
Scientists have also conducted research to alter the genes of intestinal bacteria like Escherichia coli to secrete specific drugs within the human body. However, it has been difficult to control when the modified bacteria would secrete the drugs from outside the body.
The researchers modified the genes of Escherichia coli so that when it detects the nitrate produced during inflammation, it emits light. Conversely, upon detecting a specific light from a light-emitting diode (LED), it releases anti-inflammatory substances. At the same time, they developed a smart capsule capable of detecting this light.
When the smart capsule is swallowed, it consolidates with a smartphone app. It can detect the light signals emitted by Escherichia coli to notify the user of inflammation or, conversely, the LED can flicker in response to commands received from the smartphone, stimulating the Escherichia coli.
The researchers experimented on three pigs suffering from colitis. The modified Escherichia coli in the pigs' intestines detected the nitrate produced during inflammation and emitted light. The smart capsule informed this to the smartphone, which in turn activated the LED upon receiving commands.
The Escherichia coli in the intestine suppressed inflammation by secreting anti-inflammatory components in response to the light signal from the LED. This means that the intestinal bacteria, smart capsule, and smartphone successfully communicated in real time from diagnosis to treatment. The researchers noted, "An era of real-time communication with intestinal microorganisms has begun," adding that "this technology will significantly contribute to personalized treatment in the future."
David Carreño, a researcher at Imperial College London, and Professor David T. Riglar commented in a jointly published paper on the same day that "this study demonstrates the potential of using intestinal bacteria for disease diagnosis and treatment."
There are several issues that need to be overcome for commercialization. The two noted, "The modified bacteria do not remain in the intestine for long, so to increase therapeutic efficacy, multiple intakes are necessary," and mentioned, "The smart capsule is also large and the battery depletes quickly, limiting its use over extended periods."
References
Nature Microbiology (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-025-02057-w