Team:SiCAU-China

SCU-WestChina 2017 Project: Blocking Urate Storm in the Blood

Hyperuricemia and refractory gout are caused by the high urate concentration in the blood. Considering there are still debates on whether the drug should be used in the asymptomatic hyperuricemia patients and the drug resistance of the refractory gout patients, new approaches are eagerly needed. We constructed the urate metabolic pathway in the probiotic E. coli Nissle 1917 and applied it in the gut to reduce the urate concentration in the blood indirectly. In addition, we built a dialysis-like device combined with modified bacteria to utilize the urate directly in the blood. Our solutions provide a suitable, long-term and non-drug treatment for the asymptomatic hyperuricemia patients and an ultimate treatment for the refractory gout patients.