Fig. 5.

Treatment with pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila reduces Opg expression in cortical bone. Twelve-week-old female mice were treated with either vehicle (Veh) or pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila (pAkk) by daily oral gavage during 28 days, starting 3 days before ovariectomy (Ovx) or sham surgery. Real-time PCR analysis of gene expression known to affect bone turnover in cortical bone of tibia for ratio of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (Rankl) and osteoprotegerin (Opg; A) and individual graphs for Rankl (B), Opg (C), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (Trap; D), cathepsin K (Ctsk; E), and collagen, type I, α1 (Col1α1; F). Values are given as means ± SE (n = 8–12). The overall effect of treatment (Veh/pAkk) and surgical procedure (Sham/Ovx) and their interaction were calculated using two-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett’s post hoc test to correct for multiple comparisons between all groups vs. vehicle-treated sham mice, **P ≤ 0.01 and *P ≤ 0.05.