An Engineered Solidified Peptide Hemocyte Sponge as Nanomotor Storage to Combat Bacterial Colitis

The emergence of drug-resistant bacteria has significantly heightened the urgency for effective interventions within the global public healthcare system. Furthermore, the structural diversity of endotoxins across different bacterial species poses a major limitation on the clearance efficiency of structure-specific anti-endotoxin antibodies. In this study, a peptide-based material with membrane-disrupting functionality is developed. The topological configuration of the peptide is immobilized through Ni²⁺ coordination, and the thrust force generated by a redox reaction is harnessed to facilitate deep tissue penetration and enhance resistance to oxidative degradation. Notably, it is discovered that the immobilized peptide-based nanomotor storage system, coated with red blood cell membranes, can effectively mitigate colitis-induced damage by concentrating and sequestering endotoxins while distributing the bacterial burden. This approach operates independently of molecular structure-specific binding. Following endotoxin capture, the nanomotor storage system utilizes electrostatic interactions from immobilized peptide to adsorb endotoxins, thereby preventing excessive release of pro-inflammatory cytokines during prolonged infection, ultimately enabling effective management of bacterial colitis. The top-down fabrication of endotoxin storage materials presents a broadly applicable strategy against bacterial infections. The peptides immobilized via metal coordination offer an efficient pathway for bacterial and endotoxin capture, enabling the development of comprehensive storage systems.