Gut Microbiota and Cardiovascular Disease

Area of Science:

• Microbiome research
• Cardiovascular disease (CVD)
• Metaorganismal pathways

Background:

• Fecal microbial changes are linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD), but evidence was largely associative.
• Gut microbiota transplantation and metabolite studies provide direct experimental evidence for the gut's role in CVD.
• Metaorganismal pathways involving microbes and hosts impact CVD in animal models and humans.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in microbiome research concerning CVD and cardiometabolic phenotypes.
• To highlight the shift from associative to causative findings in gut microbiota and CVD research.
• To focus on specific microbial compounds and pathways influencing cardiovascular health.

Main Methods:

• Review of experimental evidence including gut microbiota transplantation studies.
• Analysis of metaorganismal pathways and their impact on host metabolism and CVD.
• Examination of specific gut microbial metabolites and their clinical associations and mechanistic roles.

Main Results:

• Gut microbiota-dependent metabolites, such as trimethylamine N-oxide and phenylacetylglutamine, are associated with incident CVD risk.
• Mechanistic studies in animal models confirm causal links between specific microbial metabolites/pathways and CVD.
• Phenylacetylglutamine promotes adverse cardiovascular phenotypes via adrenergic receptor (AR) interaction.

Conclusions:

• The field has progressed from associative to causative understanding of the gut microbiome's role in CVD.
• Specific microbial metabolites and metaorganismal pathways are key players in cardiovascular health and disease.
• Targeting the gut microbiome offers novel therapeutic strategies for improving cardiovascular outcomes.