Could Gut Bacteria Hold a Cure for Sepsis?

A new study inGutreveals a promising avenue for treating sepsis, the dangerous immune reaction that can lead to organ failure and death in severe infections (doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2023-329996).A joint research team from the University of Science and Technology of China(USTC) and Southern Medical University in China found that levels of a beneficial gut microbe calledAkkermansia muciniphila(AKK) are reduced in septic patients.When administered to mice with experimental sepsis, AKK dramatically improved survival.How does a gut microbe fight off sepsis originating from infections elsewhere in the body? The secret lies in a short peptide generated by AKK Arg-Lys-His or RKH.

Metabolism studies found RKH to be a potent calming agent that blocks inflammatory signaling in immune cells.RKH acts like a key fitting into a lock to prevent overactivation of the immune system.This prevents the uncontrolled inflammatory storm that characterizes deadly sepsis.

A tripeptide Arg-Lys-His (RKH) generated by a beneficial gut microbe could protect against sepsis in animal models.(Image by Allpeptide)

Excitingly, the researchers can reproduce the protective effects of AKK using RKH treatment alone in mice.Even better, RKH appeared safe and effective at curbing inflammation in a pig model, demonstrating its potential for human use.While further clinical trials are needed, these results reveal that the answer to treating sepsis may have been inside us all along – in the form of helpful bacteria in the gut microbiome.