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Gut microbiota in hypertension

Pedro A Jose1, Dominic Raj

  • 1aDepartments of Medicine and Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland bDepartment of Medicine, George Washington School of Medicine, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.

Current Opinion in Nephrology and Hypertension
|July 1, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Gut microbiota influences blood pressure and salt sensitivity through interactions with genetics and epigenetics. Factors like diet and antibiotics modulate these effects, impacting hypertension management.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Physiology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Hypertension affects a quarter of the global population, contributing significantly to cardiovascular disease mortality.
  • The role of sodium intake in blood pressure regulation is complex and not fully understood.
  • Gut microbiota, kidney function, genetics, and epigenetics interplay in blood pressure control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the interaction between gut microbiota and the kidney in regulating blood pressure.
  • To explore the influence of genetics and epigenetics on blood pressure and salt sensitivity.
  • To understand how gut microbiota affects blood pressure and hypertension.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on gut microbiota, kidney function, and blood pressure.
  • Analysis of studies involving animal models of hypertension (spontaneously hypertensive and Dahl salt-sensitive rats).
  • Examination of the impact of antibiotics and probiotics on gut microbiota and blood pressure.

Main Results:

  • Gut microbial composition (Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes) is linked to elevated blood pressure in hypertensive models.
  • Antibiotic-induced alterations in gut microbiota can modify blood pressure, influenced by host genotype.
  • Microbial fermentation products regulate energy expenditure, catecholamine metabolism, and ion transport, affecting salt sensitivity.

Conclusions:

  • The impact of gut microbiota on blood pressure is multifactorial, involving genetics, epigenetics, lifestyle, and antibiotic use.
  • These factors collectively influence blood pressure levels and the efficacy of hypertension management.
  • Understanding these interactions is crucial for developing novel therapeutic strategies for hypertension.
Abstract

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