Akkermansia muciniphila protects mice against an emerging tick-borne viral pathogen

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging tick-borne disease caused by a phlebovirus in the Bunyaviridae family. Infection can result in systemic inflammatory response syndrome with a high fatality rate, and there are currently no treatments or vaccines available. The microbiota has been implicated in host susceptibility to systemic viral infection and disease outcomes, but whether the gut microbiota is implicated in severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) infection is unknown. Here, we analysed faecal and serum samples from patients with SFTS using 16S ribosomal RNA-sequencing and untargeted metabolomics, respectively. We found that the gut commensal Akkermansia muciniphila increased in relative abundance over the course of infection and was reduced in samples from deceased patients. Using germ-free or oral antibiotic-treated mice, we found that A. muciniphila produces the beta-carboline alkaloid harmaline, which protects against SFTSV infection by suppressing NF-kappa B-mediated systemic inflammation. Harmaline indirectly modulated the virus-induced inflammatory response by specifically enhancing bile acid-CoA: amino acid N-acyltransferase expression in hepatic cells to increase conjugated primary bile acids, glycochenodeoxycholic acid and taurochenodeoxycholic acid. These bile acids induced transmembrane G-protein coupled receptor-5-dependent anti-inflammatory responses. These results indicate the probiotic potential of A. muciniphila in mitigating SFTSV infection. The gut commensal Akkermansia muciniphila produces harmaline and protects against infection with the tick-borne emerging virus, severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus, via bile acid signalling.

Automated summary

By analyzing fecal and serum samples from patients with SFTS, it was found that the gut commensal A. muciniphila increased in abundance during infection and decreased in samples from deceased patients. Further experiments showed that A. muciniphila protected against infection by producing harmaline and activating bile acid signaling to suppress inflammation. These findings highlight the probiotic potential of A. muciniphila in mitigating SFTSV infection.