Parabacteroides goldsteinii and its metabolite 7-KLCA attenuate endometriosis via TGR5 to reprogram macrophages by modulating the PPARγ/GPR132 axis
Endometriosis (EMS) remains understudied in effective management strategies. The interplay between macrophage dysfunction and microbiota-derived immune signals emerges as a potential mechanism in EMS pathogenesis, suggesting its relevance for future therapeutic exploration. In this study, we established mouse models to demonstrate that gut microbiota modulated EMS development. Integrated microbial and metabolomic profiling identified Parabacteroides goldsteinii (Pg) as a promising probiotic candidate, whose downstream metabolite 7-ketolithocholic acid (7-KLCA) exhibiting therapeutic efficacy in ameliorating EMS phenotypes upon supplementation. Mechanistically, Pg reshapes its bile acid (BA) metabolism to elevate 7-KLCA. This bioactive metabolite acts via the receptor TGR5 to suppress PPARγ expression and activate GPR132, thereby enhancing efferocytosis and promoting M1 macrophage polarization. These findings uncover a gut-metabolite-immune regulatory axis through which Pg reprograms macrophage function to restrain EMS progression, offering a potential microbial perspective for this chronic condition.
Authors
- Kunxiang Gong
- Yanqin Zheng
- Kun Shi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6124-7512)
- Feifei Pan
- Lirong Guo
- Yuqing Qiu
- Yiming Song
- Zixin Tao
- Jingyao Wang
- Yun Chen
Institutions
- Guangzhou Women and Children Medical Center (CN)
- Guangzhou First People's Hospital (CN)
- Guangzhou Medical University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- npj Biofilms and Microbiomes
- Published
- 2026-05-22
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41522-026-01017-4
- Primary Topic
- Endometriosis Research and Treatment
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- China Postdoctoral Science Foundation
- Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province