GV-971 prevents severe acute pancreatitis by remodeling the microbiota-metabolic-immune axis

Abstract

Despite recent advances, severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) remains a lethal inflammation with limited treatment options. Here, we provide compelling evidence of GV-971 (sodium oligomannate), an anti-Alzheimer’s medication, as being a protective agent in various male mouse SAP models. Microbiome sequencing, along with intestinal microbiota transplantation and mass cytometry technology, unveil that GV-971 reshapes the gut microbiota, increasing Faecalibacterium populations and modulating both peripheral and intestinal immune systems. A metabolomics analysis of cecal contents from GV-971–treated SAP mice further identifies short-chain fatty acids, including propionate and butyrate, as key metabolites in inhibiting macrophage M1 polarization and subsequent lethal inflammation by blocking the MAPK pathway. These findings suggest GV-971 as a promising therapeutic for SAP by targeting the microbiota metabolic immune axis. Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a profoundly lethal inflammatory condition with limited therapeutic options. Here, the authors present GV-971, an anti-Alzheimer's medication, as a promising candidate for SAP by effectively restoring intestinal microbiota homeostasis and metabolite profiles.