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Updated: Jul 26, 2025
Microbiota Analysis Using Two-step PCR and Next-generation 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing
Published on: October 15, 2019
Association between Intestinal Microecological Changes and Atherothrombosis
Xinyu Zhuo1, Hui Luo1,2, Rumei Lei1
1Department of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou Normal University, Wenzhou Road, Gongshu District, Hangzhou 310000, China.
Insights
Intestinal microecology significantly impacts atherosclerosis (AS), a major cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Imbalances in gut bacteria and their metabolites contribute to AS development and progression.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Science
- Microbiology
- Immunology
Background:
- Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory arterial disease and the leading cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.
- AS pathogenesis involves lipid infiltration, endothelial dysfunction, and chronic inflammation.
- Emerging research highlights the critical role of intestinal microecological disorders in AS development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the intricate relationship between intestinal microecology and atherosclerosis.
- To explore how gut bacteria and their metabolites influence AS.
- To identify potential therapeutic targets for AS based on gut health.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies investigating the gut-AS axis.
- Analysis of mechanisms linking gut microbiota, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and bile acid metabolism to AS.
- Synthesis of current research on the impact of intestinal microecological balance on AS.
Main Results:
- Intestinal G-bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) promotes AS by triggering inflammatory responses.
- Bacterial metabolites like trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) influence lipid metabolism and blood pressure, affecting AS.
- Disruptions in intestinal microecology interfere with bile acid metabolism, exacerbating AS progression.
Conclusions:
- Maintaining a balanced intestinal microecology is crucial for preventing and managing atherosclerosis.
- Targeting the gut microbiome and its metabolites offers a promising therapeutic strategy for AS.
- Further research into the gut-arterial crosstalk is essential for advancing AS treatment.
Abstract:
Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of large- and medium-sized arteries that causes ischemic heart disease, strokes, and peripheral vascular disease, collectively called cardiovascular disease (CVD), and is the leading cause of CVD resulting in a high rate of mortality in the population. AS is pathological by plaque development, which is caused by lipid infiltration in the vessel wall, endothelial dysfunction, and chronic low-grade inflammation. Recently, more and more scholars have paid attention to the importance of intestinal microecological disorders in the occurrence and development of AS. Intestinal G-bacterial cell wall lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and bacterial metabolites, such as oxidized trimethylamine (TMAO) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), are involved in the development of AS by affecting the inflammatory response, lipid metabolism, and blood pressure regulation of the body. Additionally, intestinal microecology promotes the progression of AS by interfering with the normal bile acid metabolism of the body. In this review, we summarize the research on the correlation between maintaining a dynamic balance of intestinal microecology and AS, which may be potentially helpful for the treatment of AS.
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