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Gut Microbiota and Atherosclerosis

  • Genetics and Genomics (A. Marian, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Studies in microbiota-mediated health risks have gained traction in recent years since the compilation of the Human Microbiome Project. No longer do we believe that our gut microbiota is an inert set of microorganisms that reside in the body without consequence. In this review, we discuss the recent findings which further our understanding of the connection between the gut microbiota and the atherosclerosis.

Recent Findings

We evaluate studies which illustrate the current understanding of the relationship between infection, immunity, altered metabolism, and bacterial products such as immune activators or dietary metabolites and their contributions to the development of atherosclerosis. In particular, we critically examine rec ent clinical and mechanistic findings for the novel microbiota-dependent dietary metabolite, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), which has been implicated in atherosclerosis. These discoveries are now becoming integrated with advances in microbiota profiling which enhance our ability to interrogate the functional role of the gut microbiome and develop strategies for targeted therapeutics.

Summary

The gut microbiota is a multi-faceted system that is unraveling novel contributors to the development and progression of atherosclerosis. In this review, we discuss historic and novel contributors while highlighting the TMAO story mainly as an example of the various paths taken beyond deciphering microbial composition to elucidate downstream mechanisms that promote (or protect from) atherogenesis in the hopes of translating these findings from bench to bedside.

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Funding

This research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Office of Dietary Supplements (P20HL113452, R01DK106000, R01HL126827). Mr. Li was supported by the Sarnoff Cardiovascular Research Fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Daniel Y. Li

  2. Center for Clinical Genomics, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA

    W. H. Wilson Tang

  3. Center for Microbiome and Human Health, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA

    W. H. Wilson Tang

  4. Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Heart and Vascular Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA

    W. H. Wilson Tang

  5. 9500 Euclid Avenue, Desk J3-4, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA

    W. H. Wilson Tang

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  1. Daniel Y. Li
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  2. W. H. Wilson Tang
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Correspondence to W. H. Wilson Tang.

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Daniel Y. Li and W. H. Wilson Tang declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Genetics and Genomics

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Li, D.Y., Tang, W.H.W. Gut Microbiota and Atherosclerosis. Curr Atheroscler Rep 19, 39 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-017-0675-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-017-0675-9

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