Team:TecMonterrey GDL

Preliminary project description

Lactobachill: a smart psychobiotic with anxiolytic and antidepressant properties

The microorganisms that normally reside in the microbiota has been consistently linked to human well-being. Studies show that microbiota not only can impact nutrition and metabolism, but also the mood. Psychobiotics is the field where probiotics and psychotropics (molecules that can alter mood) converge, opening the possibility of therapies where good bacteria can help lighten or reduce the impact of certain psychiatric conditions, such as depression. Depression affects more than 300 million people in the world, shockingly, an increase of more than 18% between 2005 and 2015 was observed according to World Health Organization (2018). There are many barriers towards dealing with depression, from availability of help to non-recognition of the problem. Depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide. Our Human Practices are centered towards conscientization and against stigmatization of depression; as well as performing a campaign to incentive people to seek aid when they need to.

On the other hand, there is a strong relationship between systemic inflammation and psychiatric disorders. Our strategy consists of genetically engineering Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, a natural gut probiotic, into producing and possible secreting soluble IL-6 receptors gp80 (mutated for increased affinity) and gp130 in order to aid reducing trans-signalization of the inflammatory pathway of cytokine interleukin 6. Our system will be triggered by nitrosative stress, which is a known pathway of inflammatory, depressive and stress afflictions. Blocking the trans-signaling of IL-6 system also prevents tryptophan catabolism to serotonin to deviate into other catabolites. This is how Lactobachill, can be used as an alternative treatment for depression as well as other inflammatory disorders.