Akkermansia muciniphila, an important link between dietary fiber and host health

Akkermansia muciniphila, the sole representative bacteria of the phylum Verrucomicrobia in the human gut, is an important link between dietary fiber and host health. Recently, A. muciniphila and its active components have been proven to play an important role in ameliorating metabolic diseases. Interestingly, a great many studies have demonstrated dietary fiber delays the development of metabolic diseases and attenuates immune response by increasing gut abundance of A. muciniphila, whereas dietary fibers regulating this bacterial level exert inconsistent trends, with either upregulation or downregulation, in some diseases such as inflammatory diseases and liver steatosis. This review focuses on the modulatory effect of dietary fibers with different types and sources on the abundance of A. muciniphila in the gut, the relevant influence on host health, and the possible mechanisms of the modulation.