Bacterial membrane vesicles restore gut anaerobiosis

Abstract Inflammation damages the epithelial cell barrier, allowing oxygen to leak into the lumen of the gut. Respiring E. coli and other Enterobacteriaceae produce proinflammatory lipopolysaccharide, exacerbating inflammatory bowel disease. Here we show that respiring membrane vesicles (MV) from E....

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Main Authors: Norman Pitt, Madeleine Morrissette, Michael F. Gates, Rachel Bargabos, Megan Krumpoch, Bryson Hawkins, Kim Lewis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:npj Biofilms and Microbiomes
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41522-025-00676-z
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author Norman Pitt
Madeleine Morrissette
Michael F. Gates
Rachel Bargabos
Megan Krumpoch
Bryson Hawkins
Kim Lewis
author_facet Norman Pitt
Madeleine Morrissette
Michael F. Gates
Rachel Bargabos
Megan Krumpoch
Bryson Hawkins
Kim Lewis
author_sort Norman Pitt
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Inflammation damages the epithelial cell barrier, allowing oxygen to leak into the lumen of the gut. Respiring E. coli and other Enterobacteriaceae produce proinflammatory lipopolysaccharide, exacerbating inflammatory bowel disease. Here we show that respiring membrane vesicles (MV) from E. coli ameliorate symptoms in a mouse model of gut inflammation. Membrane vesicle treatment diminished weight loss and limited shortening of the colon. Notably, oxygenation of the colonic epithelium was significantly decreased in animals receiving wild type MVs, but not MVs from an E. coli mutant lacking cytochromes. Metatranscriptomic analysis of the microbiome shows an increase in anaerobic Lactobacillaceae and a decrease in Enterobacteriaceae, as well as a general shift towards fermentation in MV-treated mice. This is accompanied by a decrease in proinflammatory TNF-α. We report that MVs may lead to the development of a novel type of a therapeutic for dysbiosis, and for treating IBD.
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spelling doaj-art-c57ae19ec2d94b98976aa9507a57c0fe2025-08-20T02:51:27ZengNature Portfolionpj Biofilms and Microbiomes2055-50082025-03-0111111110.1038/s41522-025-00676-zBacterial membrane vesicles restore gut anaerobiosisNorman Pitt0Madeleine Morrissette1Michael F. Gates2Rachel Bargabos3Megan Krumpoch4Bryson Hawkins5Kim Lewis6Antimicrobial Discovery Center, Department of Biology, Northeastern UniversityAntimicrobial Discovery Center, Department of Biology, Northeastern UniversityAntimicrobial Discovery Center, Department of Biology, Northeastern UniversityAntimicrobial Discovery Center, Department of Biology, Northeastern UniversityAntimicrobial Discovery Center, Department of Biology, Northeastern UniversityAntimicrobial Discovery Center, Department of Biology, Northeastern UniversityAntimicrobial Discovery Center, Department of Biology, Northeastern UniversityAbstract Inflammation damages the epithelial cell barrier, allowing oxygen to leak into the lumen of the gut. Respiring E. coli and other Enterobacteriaceae produce proinflammatory lipopolysaccharide, exacerbating inflammatory bowel disease. Here we show that respiring membrane vesicles (MV) from E. coli ameliorate symptoms in a mouse model of gut inflammation. Membrane vesicle treatment diminished weight loss and limited shortening of the colon. Notably, oxygenation of the colonic epithelium was significantly decreased in animals receiving wild type MVs, but not MVs from an E. coli mutant lacking cytochromes. Metatranscriptomic analysis of the microbiome shows an increase in anaerobic Lactobacillaceae and a decrease in Enterobacteriaceae, as well as a general shift towards fermentation in MV-treated mice. This is accompanied by a decrease in proinflammatory TNF-α. We report that MVs may lead to the development of a novel type of a therapeutic for dysbiosis, and for treating IBD.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41522-025-00676-z
spellingShingle Norman Pitt
Madeleine Morrissette
Michael F. Gates
Rachel Bargabos
Megan Krumpoch
Bryson Hawkins
Kim Lewis
Bacterial membrane vesicles restore gut anaerobiosis
npj Biofilms and Microbiomes
title Bacterial membrane vesicles restore gut anaerobiosis
title_full Bacterial membrane vesicles restore gut anaerobiosis
title_fullStr Bacterial membrane vesicles restore gut anaerobiosis
title_full_unstemmed Bacterial membrane vesicles restore gut anaerobiosis
title_short Bacterial membrane vesicles restore gut anaerobiosis
title_sort bacterial membrane vesicles restore gut anaerobiosis
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41522-025-00676-z
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