Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40593577›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Gut microbiota-derived GlcNAc-MurNAc is a TLR4 agonist that protects the host gut.

Chenyu Li, Christopher Adamson, Allan Wee Ren Ng, Yaquan Liang, Zebin Hong, Jia Tong Loh, Siu-Kin Ng, Jeric Mun Chung Kwan, Shiliu Feng, Evan Wei Long Ng and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. A syntheticScience advances · 2026
    Article
  5. Review
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Chenyu LiSchool of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore, 637371, Singapore.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-8597-2645
Christopher AdamsonSchool of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore, 637371, Singapore.
Allan Wee Ren NgSchool of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore, 637371, Singapore.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3044-2718
Yaquan LiangSchool of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore, 637371, Singapore.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8700-9694
Zebin HongInstitute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Singapore, 138673, Singapore.
Jia Tong LohSchool of Biological Sciences (SBS), Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore.
Siu-Kin NgLee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 11 Mandalay Road, Singapore, 308232, Singapore.
Jeric Mun Chung KwanSchool of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore, 637371, Singapore.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1310-5464
Shiliu FengSchool of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore, 637371, Singapore.
Evan Wei Long NgSchool of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore, 637371, Singapore.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-7229-3792
Sajith NairSchool of Biological Sciences (SBS), Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore.
Christiane RuedlSchool of Biological Sciences (SBS), Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5599-6541
Sunny Hei WongLee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 11 Mandalay Road, Singapore, 308232, Singapore.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3354-9310
Kong-Peng LamSingapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Singapore, 138648, Singapore.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1316-4333
Yuan QiaoSchool of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore, 637371, Singapore. yuan.qiao@ntu.edu.sg.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0188-0700

Funding

Ministry of Education - Singapore (MOE) MOE-T2EP30223-0002, MOE-T2EP10124-0001Nanyang Technological University (NTU) College of Science Collaborative Research Award 2021Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Start-up grantNational Research Foundation Singapore (National Research Foundation-Prime Minister's office, Republic of Singapore) NRF-NRFF12-2020-0006
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Gut microbiota-derived peptidoglycan fragments (PGNs) are key signaling molecules that regulate multiple aspects of the host's health. Yet the exact structures of natural PGNs in hosts have not been fully elucidated. Herein, we developed an LC-HRMS/MS analytical platform for global quantification and profiling of natural PGN subtypes in host gut and sera, unexpectedly revealing the abundance of PGN-derived saccharide moieties that do not resemble canonical ligands of mammalian NOD1/2 receptors. Focusing on the disaccharide GlcNAc-MurNAc (GM), which does not activate NOD1/2 yet still exhibits immunostimulatory effects in host immune cells, we established GM as a mild TLR4 agonist, illustrating an alternate PGN sensing mechanism other than NOD signaling. Importantly, the administration of GM mitigates colonic inflammation in the DSS-induced colitis model in mice via a TLR4-dependent manner, highlighting the in vivo significance of gut microbiota-derived PGN saccharides in maintaining host intestinal homeostasis.

Indexed as

ColitisGastrointestinal MicrobiomePeptidoglycanToll-Like Receptor 4AnimalsDextran SulfateDisease Models, AnimalFemaleHumansMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMice, KnockoutNod2 Signaling Adaptor ProteinDextran SulfateNod2 Signaling Adaptor ProteinPeptidoglycanTlr4 protein, mouseToll-Like Receptor 4

Identifiers

PMID40593577
PMCPMC12219203

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.