Akkermansia muciniphila in infectious disease: A new target for this next-generation probiotic? Original paper
Researched by:
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Divine Aleru
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Divine Aleru
Read MoreI am a biochemist with a deep curiosity for the human microbiome and how it shapes human health, and I enjoy making microbiome science more accessible through research and writing. With 2 years experience in microbiome research, I have curated microbiome studies, analyzed microbial signatures, and now focus on interventions as a Microbiome Signatures and Interventions Research Coordinator.
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Microbes
Microbes
Microbes are microscopic organisms living in and on the human body, shaping health through digestion, vitamin production, and immune protection. When microbial balance is disrupted, disease can occur. This guide explains key microbe types—bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, and archaea—plus major pathogenic and beneficial examples.
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Divine Aleru
Read More
Researched by:
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Divine Aleru
ID
Divine Aleru
Read More
Microbiome Signatures identifies and validates condition-specific microbiome shifts and interventions to accelerate clinical translation. Our multidisciplinary team supports clinicians, researchers, and innovators in turning microbiome science into actionable medicine.
Divine Aleru
What was reviewed?
This review examined the emerging role of Akkermansia muciniphila in infectious disease and evaluated its potential as a next-generation probiotic beyond metabolic health. The authors synthesized preclinical and mechanistic evidence describing how A. muciniphila influences susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections through effects on gut barrier integrity, immune regulation, and systemic host responses. The review focused on recent animal studies that directly tested A. muciniphila supplementation in models of enteric infection, sepsis, and respiratory viral disease, while integrating known molecular mechanisms to explain these outcomes.
Who was reviewed?
The review drew on data from murine models of infection and immune dysfunction, including mice challenged with Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Typhimurium, Clostridioides difficile, influenza virus, and phleboviruses. It also incorporated findings from diet-modified mouse models, particularly high-fat diet systems that mimic Western dietary patterns known to suppress A. muciniphila abundance. Human data were referenced indirectly through clinical trials and safety assessments of live and pasteurized A. muciniphila, but no primary human infection cohorts were reviewed.
What were the most important findings?
Across infectious disease models, Akkermansia muciniphila consistently emerged as a protective major microbial association linked to reduced pathogen burden and improved host survival. Supplementation restored resistance to Listeria and Salmonella infection in high-fat diet mice without broadly restructuring the microbiome, indicating a direct host-mediated effect. Mechanistically, A. muciniphila improved gut barrier function, reduced systemic lipopolysaccharide levels, and modulated immune signaling pathways including TNF-α, TLR2, TLR4, and NF-κB. Specific microbial effectors played central roles, including the outer membrane protein Amuc_1100, the tripeptide RKH that attenuates lethal sepsis, and the β-carboline alkaloid harmaline, which enhanced antiviral immunity through bile acid–TGR5 signaling. The review also highlighted adaptive immune effects, including modulation of IgA responses and T-cell activity, extending A. muciniphila’s influence beyond local gut immunity. Importantly, both live and pasteurized preparations demonstrated efficacy, supporting functional activity independent of colonization.
What are the greatest implications of this review?
This review positions Akkermansia muciniphila as a clinically relevant immunomodulatory organism with potential applications in infection prevention and immune support. For clinicians, reduced abundance may signal impaired colonization resistance and immune vulnerability, particularly in patients consuming Western diets. The findings support exploration of A. muciniphila-derived postbiotics as adjunctive strategies for infectious disease mitigation while emphasizing the need for context-dependent use and microbiome complexity awareness.
Akkermansia muciniphila
Akkermansia muciniphila is a mucus-layer specialist that has shifted from “odd gut commensal” to one of the most mechanistically characterized next-generation probiotic candidates. First isolated from human feces using gastric mucin as the sole carbon and nitrogen source, it is adapted to life at the mucus–epithelium interface, where it converts host mucins into metabolites (notably acetate and propionate) that can feed other microbes and influence host physiology. Its genome encodes an unusually rich secretome for mucin foraging, dozens of predicted glycoside hydrolases, sulfatases, proteases, and sialidases, supporting stepwise dismantling of complex O-glycans and the mucin backbone.
Listeria monocytogenes
Listeria monocytogenes is an opportunistic pathogen capable of surviving in diverse environments, including soil, water, and decaying vegetation. L. monocytogenes has the unique ability to evade the immune system by moving directly from cell to cell within the host. This intracellular lifestyle allows the bacterium to avoid extracellular immune detection, contributing to its ability to cause invasive diseases like meningitis and septicemia, particularly in the elderly and immunocompromised.