Pharmacological role of Vitamin C in stress-induced cardiac dysfunction via alteration in Gut microbiota

Abstract

There is emerging evidence exhibiting the strong association of gut microbiota with cardiovascular metabolic functions. Cardiac diseases may alter the richness, diversity, and composition of the gut microbiome. Vitamin C (Vit C) plays an important role in many metabolic activities in cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we induced cardiac remodeling by the forced swim stress model in rats, which resulted in dysbiosis. Adult male Wistar rats were designated into the following groups: (i) normal control (NC), (ii) forced swim induced stress (FSIS) control, (iii) FSIS + Vit C treatment, and (iv) Vit C control. Stool samples were collected for estimation for 90 days, and at the end of the study, the animals were killed and heart tissue was isolated for histochemical analysis. We observed a sharp fall in the operational taxonomic unit in the FSIS control animals as compared to NC animals. Treatment with Vit C exhibited a decrease in Bacteroidetes while raising the abundance of spirochetes. Plasma levels of creatine kinase myocardial band (CKMB) in the treatment group reduced to 175.7 ± 3.41 U/L, from 317.7 ± 34.48 U/L in the diabetic control group. Also, the C-reactive protein level in the disease control group was 18 ± 0.93 mg/dl, which reduced to the normal level of 7.53 ± 0.20 mg/dl on treatment with Vit C administration. Our results suggest that FSIS induced cardiac complication is also associated with changes in gut microbial abundance. Higher doses of Vit C, which strengthens the immunity, have shown some positive outcomes on cardiac complications. The abundance of gut microbiota is also associated with the immune system, which in turn marks the impact of a disease. More the richness and diversity of the gut microbiome, healthier is the composition that can withstand the external threats of disease and other major challenges in the environment. Hence microbiome abundance plays an important role in the therapies or future prospects of disease. Histopathological studies support the serological and microbiome examination and warrant the cardioprotective influence of Vit C in the stress-induced cardiac dysfunction model.

Keywords: Vit C; cardiovascular disease; gut microbiota; heart remodeling.