Strain-Specific Anti-inflammatory Properties of Two Akkermansia muciniphila Strains on Chronic Colitis in Mice
Open accessAbstract
Akkermansia muciniphila is potential probiotic in that its type strain ATCC BAA-835 has beneficial effects upon obesity and diabetes. However, whether A. muciniphila can improve inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which is a form of chronic intestinal dysbiosis, is unknown. Hence, we used an isolated murine A. muciniphila strain (designated 139) and A. muciniphila type strain ATCC, to investigate their anti-inflammatory properties in cell models and in Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)-induced chronic colitis of mice. In vitro, the two A. muciniphila strains exerted similar anti-inflammatory properties as they both reduced IL-8 production by TNF-⍺-stimulated HT-29 cells. However, neither of the strains showed capacity to increase the differentiation of regulatory T (Treg)-cells from CD4+ T cell populations significantly. In vivo, both A. muciniphila strains exerted anti-inflammatory effects on chronic colitis as they improved clinical parameters including spleen weight, colon inflammation index, and colon histological score. They also down-regulated the expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines including TNF-⍺ and IFN-γ in the colon of mice. However, the anti-inflammatory effects of strain ATCC were stronger than strain 139 in that ATCC significantly reduced spleen weight, colon inflammation index, and fecal lipocalin-2 content in mice with chronic colitis, while strain 139 was not. Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota was observed in mice with chronic colitis. Both A. muciniphila strains facilitated the normalization of the gut microbiota. The specific capacity of strain ATCC to modulate the differentiation of Tregs as well as increase production of short chain fatty acids, demonstrated strain-specific characteristics for these two A. muciniphila strains. This study suggests the potential beneficial effect of A. muciniphila on IBD and the importance of the future study of the function of A. muciniphila at the strain-level.
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Different strains of Akkermansia have opposing effects on SCFA production and the differentiation of regulatory T cells.
“For example, different strains of Akkermansia have been shown to have opposing effects on SCFA production and the differentiation of regulatory T cells which modulate immune responses [109].”
From The gut–brain axis in early Parkinson’s disease: from prodrome to prevention (2025) · cites this paper as [109]
The Results section reports strain-specific effects in mice with chronic colitis: only strain ATCC increased Foxp3+ regulatory T-cell differentiation at day 46, and ATCC increased cecal SCFAs. It does not show the two strains having opposing effects. The in-vitro Results instead say both strains produced acetate and propionate, while neither promoted Treg differentiation. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredA. muciniphila improves clinical parameters, including spleen weight, colon inflammation index, and colon histological score, in chronic colitis.
“A. muciniphila improved clinical parameters, including spleen weight, colon inflammation index and colon histological score in chronic colitis.20”
The A. muciniphila type strain ATCC BAA-835 and a murine strain (designated 139) exerted anti-inflammatory effects on chronic colitis.
“The A. muciniphila type strain ATCC BAA-835 and a murine strain (designated 139) exerted anti-inflammatory effects on chronic colitis.20”
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References 55 · Cited by 368
- Authors
- Zhai, R., Xue, X., Zhang, L., Yang, X., Zhao, L., & Zhang, C.
- Affiliations
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University (CN)
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (US)
- Corresponding author
- Zhang, Chenhong
- Venue
- Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media SA
- Published
- 2019-07-05
- Volume
- 9
- Pages
- 239-239
- ISSN
- 2235-2988 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC6624636
- OpenAlex
- W2949775839
- Cited by
- 368
- References
- 55
- Citations by year
- 2026: 27 · 2025: 50 · 2024: 47 · 2023: 65 · 2022: 85 · 2021: 59 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 26.43
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (31330005, 81401141, 81871091)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
- Keywords
- Akkermansia muciniphila, strain-specific effects, chronic colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, DSS-induced colitis, anti-inflammatory activity, regulatory T cells, short-chain fatty acids, gut dysbiosis, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, inflammatory cytokines, probiotics, HT-29 cells, TNF-α, interferon-gamma
- MeSH terms
- Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Whole Genome Sequencing, Akkermansia, Animals, Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Chronic Disease, Colitis, Colon, Disease Models, Animal, Feces, Humans, Interferon-gamma, Male, Mice, Inbred C57BL, RNA, Ribosomal, 16S, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes, Cytokines, Interleukin-8, Dextran Sulfate, HT29 Cells, Probiotics, Mice, Verrucomicrobia, Dysbiosis
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