Bovine Colostrum-Derived Extracellular Vesicles May Accelerate the Growth of Akkermansia muciniphila by Regulating Energy Metabolism in Intestinal Anaerobic Coculture System

Extracellular vesicles derived from milk are known to play a significant role in regulating gut microbiota. However, few studies have focused on the effects of these vesicles on specific bacterial species. This study aimed to investigate how bovine colostrum-derived extracellular vesicles (BCEVs) affect the growth and viability of commensal bacteria, specifically <i>Akkermansia muciniphila</i>. BCEVs and <i>A. muciniphila</i> were co-cultured to measure growth rates using spectrophotometry, and cell viability was assessed at the endpoints. Additionally, to determine whether BCEVs enhance the survival of <i>A. muciniphila</i> in the presence of Caco-2 cells, an anaerobic co-culture experiment was conducted to determine the specific interaction between intestinal epithelial cells and gut microbiota using a Transwell system. The results showed that co-culture with BCEVs increased the growth rate and viability of <i>A. muciniphila</i>. Consistent with this, increased viability of <i>A. muciniphila</i> was observed when it was co-cultured with Caco-2 cells. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that BCEVs regulate nitrogen metabolism in <i>A. muciniphila</i>, enhancing the growth rate and viability. Thus, regulating beneficial gut bacteria, such as <i>A. muciniphila</i>, through BCEVs presents a novel biological approach that positively impacts human health.