Disease-associated dysbiosis and potential therapeutic role of Akkermansia muciniphila, a mucus degrading bacteria of gut microbiome

Abstract

The unique functionality of Akkermansia muciniphila in gut microbiota indicates it to be an indispensable microbe for human welfare. The importance of A. muciniphila lies in its potential to convert mucin into beneficial by-products, regulate intestinal homeostasis and maintain gut barrier integrity. It is also known to competitively inhibit other mucin-degrading bacteria and improve metabolic functions and immunity responses in the host. It finds a pivotal perspective in various diseases and their treatment. It has future as a promising probiotic, disease biomarker and therapeutic agent for chronic diseases. Diseaseassociated dysbiosis of A. muciniphila in the gut microbiome makes it a potential candidate as a biomarker for some diseases and can provide future theranostics by suggesting ways of diagnosis for the patients and best treatment method based on the screening results. Manipulation of A. muciniphila in gut microbiome may help in developing a novel personalized therapeutic action and can be a suitable next generation medicine. However, the actual pathway governing A. muciniphila interaction with hosts remains to be investigated. Also, due to the limited availability of products containing A. muciniphila, it is not exploited to its full potential. The present review aims at highlighting the potential of A. muciniphila in mucin degradation, contribution towards the gut health and host immunity and management of metabolic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, and respiratory diseases such as cystic fibrosis and COVID-19.

Farnesoid X Receptor, Bile Acid Metabolism, and Gut Microbiota

“…Eubiosis defines the balanced qualitative and quantitative condition of the intestinal microflora, and is essential to preserving the host’s health. On the contrary, its qualitative/quantitative perturbation, namely, dysbiosis, is associated with the development of various diseases such as NAFLD, NASH until HCC [ 59 , 60 ], diabetes type 2, cardiovascular disorders, and, undoubtedly, obesity [ 61 , 62 ] ( Figure 2 ).…”

New insights into upper respiratory microbiota diversity and interplay in patients with COVID-19 depending on the SARS-CoV-2 viral load in the epithelial cells in the nasopharynx

“…Moreover, we showed that A. muciniphila, F. prausnitzii, and B. vulgatus, which are well-known as microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract, and their abundance were higher for I compared to II and III groups respectively in our study. These bacteria species deserve special attention being responsible for mucin degradation [30][31][32][33], which might lead to direct contact of mucosa and induce inflammation. The respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts share a common mucosal immune system known as the gut-lung axis [34].…”

The Role of Next-Generation Probiotics in Obesity and Obesity-Associated Disorders: Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives

“…It colonizes the gut very early, during the first year of life, via human milk [ 73 ]. Thereby, it is highly abundant in the gut of infants and healthy adults, accounting for 0.5–5% of the human gut microbiota [ 72 , 73 , 74 ]. Its beneficial effects are mainly attributed to its ability to degrade mucin: a major component of mucus in the gut [ 74 ].…”