Research development on gut microbiota and vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque

Shujiao Zheng; Zuheng Liu; Haiyue Liu; Jie Ying Lim; Dolly Wong Hui Li; Shaofeng Zhang; Fang Luo; Xiujing Wang; Changqing Sun; Rong Tang; Wuyang Zheng; Qiang Xie

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25186

Research development on gut microbiota and vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque

Heliyon. 2024 Feb 8;10(4):e25186. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25186. eCollection 2024 Feb 29.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ The School of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
² Department of Cardiology, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Xiamen Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
³ Xiamen Key Laboratory of Genetic Testing, The Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.

Abstract

The relationship between gut microbiota and its metabolites with cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been proven. In this review, we aim to conclude the potential mechanism of gut microbiota and its metabolites on inducing the formation of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque, and to discuss the effect of intestinal metabolites, including trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), phenylacetylglutamine (PAG), short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) on plaque stability. Finally, we include the impact of gut microbiota and its metabolites on plaque stability, to propose a new therapeutic direction for coronary heart disease. Gut microbiota regulation intervenes the progress of arteriosclerosis, especially on coronary atherosclerosis, by avoiding or reducing the formation of vulnerable plaque, to lower the morbidity rate of myocardial infarction.

Keywords: Acute coronary syndrome; Atherosclerosis; Bacterial metabolites; Gut microbiota; Vulnerable plaque.

Publication types

Review