Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41741429›Full record

ArticleNature communications2026

A microbiota-IPA axis facilitates intestinal stem cell-mediated regeneration in colitis through a Hopx-associated program.

Yanan Zhang, Jinxin Meng, Shuyu Tu, Linlin Ma, Xinya Zhao, Jinsong Gao, Jianan Wu, Weilv Xu, Shuxian Chen, Hairong Cheng and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing 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

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. Review
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

12 authors.

Yanan Zhang *Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Jinxin Meng *Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Shuyu Tu *Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Linlin Ma *Engineering Research Center of Glycoconjugates, Ministry of Education, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Biology of Changbai Mountain Natural Drugs, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.
Xinya ZhaoDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Jinsong GaoDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
Jianan WuDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Weilv XuDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-0628-1346
Shuxian ChenDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-1948-2798
Hairong ChengEngineering Research Center of Glycoconjugates, Ministry of Education, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Biology of Changbai Mountain Natural Drugs, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China. chenghr893@nenu.edu.cn.
Li ZhangDepartment of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. Zhangli4029@126.com.
Shu Jeffrey ZhuDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. shuzhu@zju.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2919-5473

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 32172864National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 323B2007National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 8257142928
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in maintaining intestinal stem cell (ISC) homeostasis and epithelial barrier integrity. Here, we report that Blautia coccoides (B. coccoides) is significantly reduced in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice. Through an integrated approach combining RNA sequencing, metabolomic profiling, and ISC lineage tracing across multiple mucosal injury models, we demonstrate that B. coccoides colonization enhances β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) production in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), which activates HOPX⁺ reserve ISCs and promotes regeneration of the LGR5⁺ ISC pool, thereby accelerating epithelial repair. We further show that B. coccoides-derived indole-3-lactic acid (ILA), a tryptophan (Trp) metabolite, is converted into indole-3-propionic acid (IPA) by commensal bacteria such as P. russellii or C. sporogenes, stimulating IEC BHB synthesis. Using an engineered Escherichia coli strain expressing BC-derived phenyllactate dehydrogenase (fldH), we establish that both dietary Trp and bacterial fldH activity are essential for ILA/IPA generation and subsequent mucosal healing. Our findings reveal a microbiota-metabolite-ISC regulatory axis critical for epithelial regeneration and propose novel metabolite-based therapeutic strategies for IBD and other intestinal disorders associated with barrier dysfunction.

Indexed as

ColitisGastrointestinal MicrobiomeIndolesRegenerationStem Cells3-Hydroxybutyric AcidAnimalsDextran SulfateDisease Models, AnimalEpithelial CellsFemaleHumansInflammatory Bowel DiseasesIntestinal Barrier FunctionIntestinal MucosaMale3-Hydroxybutyric AcidDextran Sulfateindolepropionic acidIndolesLgr5 protein, mouseReceptors, G-Protein-CoupledTryptophan

Identifiers

PMID41741429
PMCPMC13057028

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.