Introduction
New approaches based on the gut microbiome emerge trying to control gut inflammation in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). The MOBIDIC project (Modified Bacteria for Manganese-based antioxIdants Production and Delivery for Gut Inflammation Control, NCT06189599) aims to develop innovative microbiome-based therapies to treat inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), focusing on reducing oxidative stress in intestinal epithelial cells. These approaches include the use of (a) chemically modified bacteria delivering antioxidant enzymes and (b) genetically engineered bacteria expressing similar antioxidant compounds. Besides promising preclinical results (1–3), the acceptability of these novel treatments by patients remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to assess and compare the acceptability of such strategies among IBD patients.
Aims & Methods
A mixed-method cross-sectional survey was conducted from April to July 2024 among 324 consecutive patients diagnosed with Crohn’s disease (CD) or Ulcerative colitis (UC) seen at Saint-Antoine Hospital (Paris, France) in day hospital. The questionnaire combined closed-ended items to assess perceptions and acceptability of four therapeutic compounds : chemically modified bacteria (CMB), genetically modified bacteria (GMB), probiotics, fecal microbiota transplant (FMT). Participants were invited to provide open-ended responses to gain insight into the underlying reasons for their choices. Descriptive and inferential statistics were complemented by thematic analysis of qualitative data.
Results
Among the 324 respondents, 48.5% were female and 51.5% male. The mean age was 41.6 years (SD 13.3 years) and the type of IBD was CD for 63.9% and UC for 36.1%. The majority of patients found their current treatment to be effective (83.0%), a minority found their treatment to be ineffective (13.9%), and 10 patients (3.1%) did not express an opinion. When patients were asked if they would be willing to try CMB or GMB, 76.5% were willing to try CMB and only 65% were open to GMB. When patients were asked which of the four innovative microbiome-derived treatments would be most acceptable, probiotics ranked first (35.5%), followed by CMB (24.1%), FMT (12.3%), and GMB (6.5%). Twenty-two percent of patients were unable to give an opinion. Qualitative responses revealed that safety concerns, satisfaction with current treatments, and unfamiliarity with newer approaches were the main reasons for reluctance. Probiotics were preferred because of their perceived naturalness and simplicity, while FMT caused discomfort because of its perceived invasiveness and terminology.
Conclusion
Despite the innovative potential of microbiome-based therapies, patient acceptability varies considerably. CMB may offer a promising alternative to conventional approaches, provided they are accompanied by strong clinical validation and clear communication. Understanding patient perceptions is critical to ensure the successful integration of novel therapies into IBD care pathways.
References
1. Schanne G, Zoumpoulaki M, Gazzah G, Vincent A, Preud’homme H, Lobinski R, et al. Inertness of Superoxide Dismutase Mimics Mn(II) Complexes Based on an Open-Chain Ligand, Bioactivity, and Detection in Intestinal Epithelial Cells. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2022;2022:3858122.
2. Schanne G, Vincent ,Amandine, Chain ,Florian, Ruffié ,Pauline, Carbonne ,Célia, Quévrain ,Elodie, et al. SOD mimics delivered to the gut using lactic acid bacteria mitigate the colitis symptoms in a mouse model of inflammatory bowel diseases. Free Radic Res. 4 march 2025;59(3):262‑73.
3. Zoumpoulaki M, Chiappetta G, Bouvet J, John NR, Schanne G, Gehan P, et al. Kinetic Redox Shotgun Proteomics Reveals Specific Lipopolysaccharide Effects on Intestinal Epithelial Cells, Mitigated by a Mn Superoxide Dismutase Mimic. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 25 feb 2025;e202422644.