Akkermansia muciniphila exerts a protective effect on the development of abdominal aortic aneurysm by inhibiting inflammation

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a life-threatening disease. Chronic inflammation plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of AAA. Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muciniphila) is increasingly recognized for its significant probiotic benefits across various diseases. The objective of this study was to explore the role of A. muciniphila in AAA development. We constructed an AAA model by incubating porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) with infrarenal abdominal aorta in C57BL/6J mice, and the treatment of A. muciniphila was performed by gavage daily for the next 14 days. Our findings revealed that A. muciniphila reduced the incidence of AAA by decreasing extracellular matrix degradation and mitigating inflammatory response. Mechanistically, A. muciniphila reversed the increased levels of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and the phospho-p65/p65 of the NF-κB family in the AAA model. Overall, A. muciniphila attenuated AAA progression partially via the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, which held promise as a therapeutic agent for AAA.