Intestinal Microbiota Metabolism and Atherosclerosis

• Published in: Chinese medical journal Vol. 128; no. 20; pp. 2805 - 2811
• Main Authors: Liu, Tian-Xing, Niu, Hai-Tao, Zhang, Shu-Yang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: China Medknow Publications Pvt Ltd 20.10.2015; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies; Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College,Beijing 100730, China%Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd; Wolters Kluwer
• Subjects: Atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis - metabolism; Atherosclerosis - microbiology; Atherosclerosis; Cardiovascular; Intestinal Microbiota Metabolism; Trimethylamine; Trimethylamine N-oxide; Cardiovascular disease; CVD; Gastrointestinal Microbiome - physiology; Genetic aspects; Health risk assessment; Humans; Methylamines - metabolism; Microbiota (Symbiotic organisms); Mortality; N-氧化物; Physiological aspects; PubMed; Review; Studies; TMAO; 代谢; 动脉粥样硬化; 心血管疾病; 肠道菌群; China; Trimethylamine; Intestinal Microbiota Metabolism; Trimethylamine N-oxide; Cardiovascular; Atherosclerosis
• ISSN: 0366-6999; 2542-5641
• DOI: 10.4103/0366-6999.167362

Objective： This review aimed to summarize the relationship between intestinal microbiota metabolism and cardiovascular disease （CVD） and to propose a novel CVD therapeutic target. Data Sources： This study was based on data obtained from PubMed and EMBASE up to Jtme 30, 2015. Articles were selected using the following search terms： ＂＇Intestinal microbiota＂, ＂trimethylamine N-oxide （TMAO）＂, ＂trimethylamine （TMA）＂, ＂cardiovascular＂, and ＂atherosclerosis＂. Study Selection： Studies were eligible if they present information on intestinal microbiota metabolism and atherosclerosis. Studies on TMA-containing nutrients were also included. Results： A new CVD risk factor, TMAO, was recently identified. It has been observed that several TMA-containing compounds may be catabolized by specific intestinal microbiota, resulting in TMA release. TMA is subsequently converted to TMAO in the liver. Several preliminary studies have linked TMAO to CVD, particularly atherosclerosis; however, the details of this relationship remain unclear. Conclusions： Intestinal microbiota metabolism is associated with atherosclerosis and may represent a promising therapeutic target with respect to CVD management.