Faecalibacterium prausnitzii alleviates experimental recurrent acute pancreatitis by producing oleic acid to regulate MAPK/NF-κB signaling and Th17/Treg balance

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a complex gastrointestinal disorder associated with disruptions in the gut microbiome. However, the gut microbial and metabolomic profiles in recurrent acute pancreatitis (RAP), which is a clinically distinct subtype of AP, remain unclear. This study integrated microbiome-metabolome analysis to identify the key gut microbial species and metabolic pathways associated with RAP. The findings reveal that the abundance of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (Fp) is significantly diminished in RAP patients, exhibiting a strong negative correlation with disease severity. Consistent with this observation, fecal microbiota transplantation enriched with Fp significantly ameliorated pancreatic injury in RAP mice. We further isolated Fp Ai 3-16 strain from the stool of healthy volunteers. Functional validation using experimental AP models demonstrates that Fp Ai 3-16 and its metabolite oleic acid (OA) can effectively attenuate pancreatitis by modulating MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways and restoring the intestinal Th17/Treg balance. Importantly, these results extend beyond the context of RAP, as they highlight the broader significance of the gut-pancreas axis in the pathogenesis of AP. Thus, the elucidation of the underlying molecular mechanisms offers novel therapeutic avenues for RAP management and provides a foundation for further investigations into the intricate interplay between the gut microbiome and the pancreas.