Data from a first proof-of-concept study in human volunteers indicated that direct instilling A. muciniphila into the colon of healthy adults led to rapid changes in gene expression in the colonic mucosa.
The paper, which was published in Cells, also details a study with mice that showed that Akkermansia may reduce inflammation in the abdominal lining (peritonitis) and mortality via a mechanism that is linked to Myd88, a central adaptor molecule for most toll-like receptors, proteins that play a key role in the immune system. This deepens our understanding of the mechanism of action of this bacterium and its impact on intestinal wound healing.
“This study illustrates how understanding the complex interactions between host and a specific potential beneficial microbe may support the development of future therapeutic strategies targeting the gut microbiota,” wrote scientists from Belgium, The Netherlands, Sweden, and Finland.
Akkermansia
Akkermansia muciniphila has attracted growing interest for its health-promoting effects. In rodents, treatment with A. muciniphila reduces obesity and related disorders, such as glucose intolerance, insulin resistance and gut permeability.
The species Akkermansia muciniphila reportedly has an abundance of about 3% in the human colon, and its abundance in the intestinal mucus layer is inversely correlated with BMI, type 1 diabetes, and bowel disease in humans. Akkermansia is known to produce nutrients that feed intestinal cells responsible for producing the intestinal mucus layer, helping to maintain healthy intestinal barrier function, control gut permeability, and control low grade inflammation in the gut.