Article Text

Original article
Akkermansia muciniphila and improved metabolic health during a dietary intervention in obesity: relationship with gut microbiome richness and ecology
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  1. Maria Carlota Dao1,2,3,
  2. Amandine Everard4,
  3. Judith Aron-Wisnewsky1,2,3,
  4. Nataliya Sokolovska1,2,3,
  5. Edi Prifti1,
  6. Eric O Verger1,2,3,
  7. Brandon D Kayser1,
  8. Florence Levenez5,6,
  9. Julien Chilloux7,
  10. Lesley Hoyles7,
  11. MICRO-Obes Consortium,
  12. Marc-Emmanuel Dumas7,
  13. Salwa W Rizkalla1,
  14. Joel Doré5,6,
  15. Patrice D Cani4,
  16. Karine Clément1,2,3
  1. 1Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition, ICAN, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, Paris, France
  2. 2INSERM, UMR S U1166, Nutriomics Team, Paris, France
  3. 3Sorbonne Universités, UPMC University Paris 06, UMR_S 1166 I, Nutriomics Team, Paris, France
  4. 4Université Catholique de Louvain, Metabolism and Nutrition Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, WELBIO (Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and BIOtechnology), Brussels, Belgium
  5. 5INRA, US1367 MetaGenoPolis, Jouy-en-Josas, France
  6. 6AgroParisTech, UMR1319 MICALIS, Jouy-en-Josas, France
  7. 7Imperial College London, Section of Biomolecular Medicine, Division of Computational and Systems Medicine, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, London, UK
  1. Correspondence to Professor Karine Clément, Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Institut E3M, 83 boulevard de ĺHôpital, Bureau 616, 75013 Paris, France; ican-kclement{at}ican-institute.org

Abstract

Objective Individuals with obesity and type 2 diabetes differ from lean and healthy individuals in their abundance of certain gut microbial species and microbial gene richness. Abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila, a mucin-degrading bacterium, has been inversely associated with body fat mass and glucose intolerance in mice, but more evidence is needed in humans. The impact of diet and weight loss on this bacterial species is unknown. Our objective was to evaluate the association between faecal A. muciniphila abundance, faecal microbiome gene richness, diet, host characteristics, and their changes after calorie restriction (CR).

Design The intervention consisted of a 6-week CR period followed by a 6-week weight stabilisation diet in overweight and obese adults (N=49, including 41 women). Faecal A. muciniphila abundance, faecal microbial gene richness, diet and bioclinical parameters were measured at baseline and after CR and weight stabilisation.

Results At baseline A. muciniphila was inversely related to fasting glucose, waist-to-hip ratio and subcutaneous adipocyte diameter. Subjects with higher gene richness and A. muciniphila abundance exhibited the healthiest metabolic status, particularly in fasting plasma glucose, plasma triglycerides and body fat distribution. Individuals with higher baseline A. muciniphila displayed greater improvement in insulin sensitivity markers and other clinical parameters after CR. These participants also experienced a reduction in A. muciniphila abundance, but it remained significantly higher than in individuals with lower baseline abundance. A. muciniphila was associated with microbial species known to be related to health.

Conclusions A. muciniphila is associated with a healthier metabolic status and better clinical outcomes after CR in overweight/obese adults. The interaction between gut microbiota ecology and A. muciniphila warrants further investigation.

Trial registration number NCT01314690.

  • OBESITY
  • INTESTINAL BACTERIA
  • GLUCOSE METABOLISM

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