Abstract
Recently, the gut microbiota (GM) has been shown to be a regulator of bone homeostasis and the mechanisms by which GM modulates bone mass are still being investigated. Here, it is found that colonization with GM from children (CGM) but not from the elderly (EGM) prevents decreases in bone mass and bone strength in conventionally raised, ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporotic mice. 16S rRNA gene sequencing reveals that CGM reverses the OVX-induced reduction of Akkermansia muciniphila (Akk). Direct replenishment of Akk is sufficient to correct the OVX-induced imbalanced bone metabolism and protect against osteoporosis. Mechanistic studies show that the secretion of extracellular vesicles (EVs) is required for the CGM- and Akk-induced bone protective effects and these nanovesicles can enter and accumulate into bone tissues to attenuate the OVX-induced osteoporotic phenotypes by augmenting osteogenic activity and inhibiting osteoclast formation. The study identifies that gut bacterium Akk mediates the CGM-induced anti-osteoporotic effects and presents a novel mechanism underlying the exchange of signals between GM and host bone.