Gut microbiome as a biomarker of cardiometabolic disorders

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in Europe and worldwide. One of the most important risk factors for atherosclerosis are lipid metabolism disorders, in particular hipercholesterolaemia. The aim of the study was to determine the correlation between gut microbiota composition and atherosclerosis risk factors, so in order that it might be used as a biomarker for coronary artery disease diagnosis.

The study involved middle-aged men in eastern Poland with central obesity (n=20), subjects with atherosclerosis (n=15) and those with no cardiovascular diseases (n=5). The gut microbiota composition was determined using tag-encoded 16S rRNA gene using Illuminal MiSeq. Data were analyzed with the use of t-test.

Firmicutes (49.26%) and Bacteroidetes (44.46%) were the dominant Phyla in the middle-aged men in eastern Poland. Subjects with improper levels of total cholesterol were enriched in Prevotella (p=0.03) and decreased level of Clostridium (p=0.02). They also showed a falling tendency in Faecalibacterium (p=0.07). An upward trend was observed in Prevotella (p=0.07) in subjects with improper LDL-C values.

The study showed that intestinal microbiome is likely to play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis through its role in lipid metabolism. Bacterial genera of particular importance were Prevotella, Bacteroides, Clostridium, Faecalibacterium. However, further studies involving larger groups of subjects are required to confirm these observations.