Akkermansia muciniphila protects intestinal mucosa from damage caused by S. pullorum by initiating proliferation of intestinal epithelium

Abstract

Akkermansia muciniphila, a novel mucin-degrading bacterium, has been demonstrated to prevent the development of obesity and related complications. However, whether it can protect poultry from intestinal mucosal damage by enteropathogens has never been mentioned. In this study, we found that A. muciniphila colonized in the intestine and then relieved intestinal mucosal damage in chicks caused by S. pullorum, including anatomical and morphological damage, alleviation of body weight and intestinal inflammation. The repair process activated by A. muciniphila is accompanied by an increase in the number of goblet cells in the chick's intestine and an up-regulation of Mucin 2 and trefoil factor 2 (Tff2). In addition, we also demonstrate that A. muciniphila improved colon length, crypt depth, increased the proliferating cell nuclear antigen, with the accelerated proliferation of intestinal epithelium through Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, thereby restoring the damaged intestinal mucosa. This study suggests that A. muciniphila activates the proliferation of intestinal cells protecting the intestinal barrier, thus relieving infection with S. pullorum in chickens.

The Protective Effect of E. faecium on S. typhimurium Infection Induced Damage to Intestinal Mucosa

“…Previous studies reported that S. typhimurium secretes AvrA effector protein into host cells, therefore preventing the ubiquitination and degradation of β-catenin, which leads to the activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway, accompanied with over-proliferation of intestinal cells and crypt hyperplasia in mice (39). The similar activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway was also found in chickens with S. pullorum infection, as well as in mice with S. typhimurium infection (40,41). However, AvrA and SopB secreted by Salmonella activated Wnt signaling in intestinal M cells and crypt-localized epithelial cells, but inhibited Wnt signaling in intestinal epithelial cells (42).…”

Copper/Zinc-Modified Palygorskite Protects Against Salmonella Typhimurium Infection and Modulates the Intestinal Microbiota in Chickens

“…Goblet cells, special intestinal epithelial cells in the gut, synthesize and secret mucins, such as Muc2, which are an important component of the intestinal mucosal barrier ( Yin et al, 2019 ). The current findings suggest that S. Typhimurium infection reduces the number of goblet cells, accompanied by downregulation of the mRNA expression levels of Muc2 and Tff2, which is also consistent with a previous report ( Zhu et al, 2020 ). However, Cu/Zn-Pal-1 addition may enhance the production of goblet cells and upregulate the mRNA expression of Muc2 and Tff2 in the CZPS group compared with the CON group.…”

Comprehensive Wet-Bench and Bioinformatics Workflow for Complex Microbiota Using Oxford Nanopore Technologies

“…2c ). Accordingly, both genera ( Corynebacterium and Akkermansia ) were more frequently found adherent to the mucosa than in stool samples ( 32 , 48 ). Besides these minor differences, all swabs contained highly similar microbiota.…”