Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2025
Murine Fecal Isolation and Microbiota Transplantation
Published on: May 26, 2023
Genetic association between gut microbiome and blood pressure and blood cell count as mediator: A two-step Mendelian
Jiyu Zhang1, Junyi He1, Yuhan Liao1
1Department of Cardiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China; Hubei Engineering Research Center for Immunological Diagnosis and Therapy of Cardiovascular Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China.
Background:
Previous studies have established a genetic link between gut microbiota and hypertension, but whether blood cell count plays a mediating role in this remains unknown. This study aims to explore genetic associations and causal factors involving the gut microbiome, peripheral blood cell count, and blood pressure.
Methods:
We utilized summary statistics derived from genome-wide association studies to conduct a two-sample mediation Mendelian randomization analysis (https://gwas.mrcieu.ac.uk/). We applied inverse variance weighted (IVW) estimation method as the primary method, along with MR Egger, Weighted median, Simple mode and Weighted mode as complementary methods. To ensure the robustness of the results, several sensitivity analyses were conducted.
Results:
Genetic variants significantly associated with the microbiome, blood pressure, or peripheral blood cell counts were selected as instrumental variables. Fourteen microbial taxa were found to have suggestive associations with diastolic blood pressure (DBP), while fifteen microbial taxa showed suggestive associations with systolic blood pressure (SBP). Meanwhile, red blood cell count, lymphocyte count, and platelet count were identified to mediate the influence of the gut microbiome on blood pressure. Specifically, red cell count was identified to mediate the effects of the phylum Cyanobacteria on DBP (mediated proportion: 8.262 %). Lymphocyte count was found mediate the effects of the genus Subdoligranulum (mediated proportion: 2.642 %) and genus Collinsella (mediated proportion: 2.749 %) on SBP. Additionally, platelet count was found to mediate the relationship between the genus Eubacterium ventriosum group and SBP, explaining 3.421 % of the mediated proportion.
Conclusions:
Our findings highlighted that gut microbiota may have causal influence on the blood pressure by modulating blood cell counts, which sheds new light on the pathogenesis and potential clinical interventions through the intricate axis of gut microbiome, blood cell counts, and blood pressure.
More Related Videos
07:15An In Vitro Batch-culture Model to Estimate the Effects of Interventional Regimens on Human Fecal Microbiota
Published on: July 31, 2019
08:33Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction-based Analyses of Murine Intestinal Microbiota After Oral Antibiotic Treatment
Published on: November 17, 2018
Related Concept Videos
01:18Hypertension and Regulation of Blood Pressure
01:11Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS
GWAS does not require the identification of the target gene involved in...
01:28Factors affecting Blood pressure
Physiological Factors:
01:28Human Genetics
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
01:18Neural Regulation of Blood Pressure
Baroreceptor Reflex
Baroreceptors, located in the carotid sinuses and aortic arch, detect changes in blood pressure. When blood pressure rises, these stretch-sensitive receptors...
01:30Blood Pressure
The average BP in an adult is typically around 120/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury). In this measurement, the numerator (120) indicates the systolic pressure, which is the pressure in the arteries during the contraction of the heart's ventricles as blood is expelled. The denominator (80) represents the...