Intestinal linoleic acid contributes to the protective effects of Akkermansia muciniphila against Listeria monocytogenes infection in mice.

Akkermansia muciniphila pretreatment mitigated Listeria monocytogenes infection in mice. A. muciniphila improved gut microbiota disturbed by L. monocytogenes infection and significantly increased the level of intestinal linoleic acid in mice. Linoleic acid strengthened the intestinal epithelial barrier and reduced pathogen translocation partly by regulating NF-κB/MLCK pathway in a GPR40-dependent manner.