2. Academic Validation
  3. Gut microbiota-derived GlcNAc-MurNAc is a TLR4 agonist that protects the host gut

Gut microbiota-derived GlcNAc-MurNAc is a TLR4 agonist that protects the host gut

  • Nat Commun. 2025 Jul 1;16(1):5577. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-60678-5.
Chenyu Li 1,  Christopher Adamson 1,  Allan Wee Ren Ng 1,  Yaquan Liang 1,  Zebin Hong 2,  Jia Tong Loh 3,  Siu-Kin Ng 4 5,  Jeric Mun Chung Kwan 1 4,  Shiliu Feng 1,  Evan Wei Long Ng 1,  Sajith Nair 3,  Christiane Ruedl 3,  Sunny Hei Wong 4 5,  Kong-Peng Lam 6,  Yuan Qiao 7
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore, 637371, Singapore.
  • 2 Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Singapore, 138673, Singapore.
  • 3 School of Biological Sciences (SBS), Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore.
  • 4 Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 11 Mandalay Road, Singapore, 308232, Singapore.
  • 5 Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore, 308433, Singapore.
  • 6 Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, Singapore, 138648, Singapore.
  • 7 School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore, 637371, Singapore. yuan.qiao@ntu.edu.sg.
PMID: 40593577 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60678-5
Abstract

Gut microbiota-derived peptidoglycan fragments (PGNs) are key signaling molecules that regulate multiple aspects of the host's health. Yet the exact structures of natural PGNs in hosts have not been fully elucidated. Herein, we developed an LC-HRMS/MS analytical platform for global quantification and profiling of natural PGN subtypes in host gut and sera, unexpectedly revealing the abundance of PGN-derived saccharide moieties that do not resemble canonical ligands of mammalian NOD1/2 receptors. Focusing on the disaccharide GlcNAc-MurNAc (GM), which does not activate NOD1/2 yet still exhibits immunostimulatory effects in host immune cells, we established GM as a mild TLR4 Agonist, illustrating an alternate PGN sensing mechanism Other than NOD signaling. Importantly, the administration of GM mitigates colonic inflammation in the DSS-induced colitis model in mice via a TLR4-dependent manner, highlighting the in vivo significance of gut microbiota-derived PGN Saccharides in maintaining host intestinal homeostasis.

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