A research group led by associate professor Eiji Miyauchi in Lab. of Mucosal Ecosystem Design has established a co-culture system of human colonic organoid with Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muciniphila), a promising next-generation probiotic. Using this model, they revealed the transcriptional responses of A. muciniphila to human mucin.
A. muciniphila is a gut bacterium known for utilizing mucin, a mucus component secreted by intestinal epithelial cells, as a nutrient source. However, its mucin responsiveness has mainly been studied in vitro using porcine gastric mucin. In this study, the researchers successfully analyzed the bacterium’s response under conditions that closely mimic the human intestinal environment by employing human-derived intestinal organoids. These findings provide new insights into the mechanism of A. muciniphila activity in the human gut and offer a foundation for its future application as a next-generation probiotic.
This study was published in the journal Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry.

・Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry
・2025/8/8
・Mucin-dependent transcriptional dynamics of Akkermansia muciniphila in co-culture with human colonic organoids

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