Antioxidant Therapeutic Nanoparticles to treat inflammation in the gut brain axis and its related diseases

Neuroinflammation in the brain is critical for the pathogenesis and progression of brain diseases. Inflammatory processes are associated with the etiology and clinical progression of migraine, psychiatric conditions, epilepsy, cerebrovascular diseases, dementia, and neurodegeneration, such as seen in sclerosis, Alzheimer's, or Parkinson's diseases. Besides, there is an exponential growth of evidence detailing the bidirectional interactions between the gut and the brain that supports a comprehensive model that integrates the central nervous, gastrointestinal, and immune systems. The gut-brain axis (GBA) also includes gut microbiota and their metabolic products. Accordingly, gut microbiota responses to the brain's physiological, behavioural, and cognitive functions. Antioxidant substances have shown promising immunomodulation capacities in preclinical and epidemiological studies but poorly translated to the clinic. It has been attributed to the instability, unspecific reactivity, and poor bioavailability of current substances. In this context, cerium oxide nanoparticles appear as novel mineral antioxidants displaying minimal toxicity to normal tissues while providing cellular protection from various forms of inflammatory oxidative stress and irradiation. Their catalytic nature allows them to work at low doses for a long time. ATHENA will develop oral and i.v. formulations. It is expected that mineral antioxidant nanoparticles can improve the status of the GBA without entering in the body, in a topical manner, in such a way that translation to the market can be speedy. Besides, know-how and the integration of metagenomics with metabolimics, and the study of elemental micronutrients in feces can derive in new biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of gut and brain disease. MICROOMICS, a younger company is rapidly growing providing services at hospitals and research centers on the analysis of microbiome and the introduction of nutraceutics in the market.