Microbial activation of the GLP-2R mitigates gastrointestinal inflammation.

Abstract

There is an urgent need for sustainable protein sources to meet rising global nutritional demands. Here, we show that a commercially scalable microbial lysate from Methylococcus capsulatus Bath (McB), used as a dietary protein, orchestrates host-diet-microbe interactions that protect against gastrointestinal inflammation. McB administration rapidly reshapes the gut microbiota and upregulates microbial fermentation pathways, while robustly increasing peripherally induced regulatory T cells (pTregs) across intestinal regions, independent of the microbiota. In contrast, McB-driven induction of tolerogenic Th17 cells requires a functional microbiota with intact fermentation capacity. In models of mucositis and colitis, McB preserves villus architecture, restores mucosal integrity, and reduces disease severity. Mechanistically, these effects depend on microbial fermentation and functional GLP-2 receptor signalling, yet are independent of endogenous GLP-2 secretion, indicating a fermentation-driven molecular mimicry of GLP-2R activation. Collectively, our findings position microbial lysates as a sustainable nutritional strategy that improves gastrointestinal health through defined immune and microbial pathways.