Effects of modified-BHI medium on the growth and metabolites of Akkermansia muciniphila

Food Sci Biotechnol. 2024 Feb 16;33(8):1921-1930. doi: 10.1007/s10068-023-01492-x. eCollection 2024 Jun.

Abstract

Akkermansia muciniphila (Akk) has recently become popular due to its therapeutic effect on various diseases. However, Akk's high-density cultivation is difficult due to its anaerobic characteristics. Therefore, Akk was cultured with modified brain-heart infusion (M-BHI) to reach 1011 CFU/mL. 1H-NMR determined the metabolites of Akk and validated them by an amino acid analyzer. Compared to the BHI, Akk significantly up-regulated lactate, histidine, fumaric acid, cytidine, threonine, arginine, and hydroxyproline in the M-BHI and significantly down-regulated methionine, trimethylamine, and sarcosine. Regarding pathway enrichment analysis, histidine metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, cysteine and methionine metabolism mainly regulate differential metabolites. In addition, M-BHI alters the metabolic profile by affecting Akk's involvement in amino acid metabolism remodeling. Changed metabolites showed that Akk fermentation in M-BHI may play a physiological role in regulating immune homeostasis and reducing risk factors related to diseases. Therefore, M-BHI provides a promising reference for Akk cultivation in future industrial preparation.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-023-01492-x.

Keywords: Akkermansia muciniphila; Amino acid; Brain–heart infusion broth (BHI); Fermentation; Nuclear magnetic resonance hydrogen spectrum (1H-NMR).