The　realization　of　low-cost　and　high-standard　nutrients　removal　are　not　acquired　effectively　in　conventional　pre-denitrification　biological　nitrogen　removal　processes　(e.g.,　anaerobic/anoxic/oxic　(A/A/O)　process)　for　the　treatment　of　domestic　sewage.　In　this　study,　a　pilot-scale　bioreactor　system　based　on　the　synergism　of　denitrifying　phosphorus　removal　(DPR)　and　endogenous　denitrification　(ED)　was　proposed　for　advanced　nutrients　removal,　which　was　operated　under　alternating　anaerobic/oxic/anoxic　(A/O/A)　mode　with　no　extracellular　carbon　source　in　the　anoxic　stage.　The　results　showed　that　A/O/A　and　A/A/O　systems　were　successfully　established　and　operated　in　four　stages　with　different　mixed　liquor　suspended　solid　(MLSS,　I:　3.32　±　0.25　g/L,　II:　5.89　±　0.94　g/L,　III:　8.66　±　0.51　g/L,　IV:　9.11　±　5.72　g/L).　Compared　with　the　A/A/O　system,　the　A/O/A　system　showed　significantly　higher　nitrogen　and　phosphorus　removal　effectiveness　within　hydraulic　retention　time　of　10　h.　At　MLSS　of　8.66　±　0.51　g/L,　the　A/O/A　system　could　achieve　simultaneously　efficient　removal　of　COD　(91.47%　±　2.06%,　2.97　±　0.26　mg　COD/(g　MLSS·h)),　NH4+-N　(97.27%　±　1.23%,　0.37　±　0.06　mg　NH4+-N/(g　MLSS·h)),　TN　(89.94%　±　1.47%,　0.45　±　0.03　mg　TN/(g　MLSS·h)),　and　PO43--P　(96.67%　±　0.88%,　0.04　±　0.01　mg　PO43--P/(g　MLSS·h)),　and　the　effluent　concentrations　of　COD,　NH4+-N,　TN,　and　PO43--P　were　24.0　±　3.1,　0.9　±　0.4,　4.4　±　0.6,　and　0.13　±　0.03　mg/L,　respectively.　In　addition,　microbial　community　results　indicated　that　denitrifying　polyphosphate　accumulating　organisms　and　endogenous　denitrifiers　synergistically　enhanced　the　nutrients　removal　capacity　in　the　A/O/A　system.　Overall,　this　work　provides　new　insight　for　further　scaling　and　optimization　of　the　A/O/A　system.　©　2023　The　Authors