title: Unraveling the environmental and genetic interactions in atherosclerosis: Central role of the gut microbiota.
abstract: Recent studies have convincingly linked gut microbiota to traits relevant to atherosclerosis, such as insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and inflammation, and have revealed novel disease pathways involving microbe-derived metabolites. These results have important implications for understanding how environmental and genetic factors act together to influence cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Thus, dietary constituents are not only absorbed and metabolized by the host but they also perturb the gut microbiota, which in turn influence host metabolism and inflammation. It also appears that host genetics helps to shape the gut microbiota community. Here, we discuss challenges in understanding these interactions and the role they play in CVD.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine, Microbiology and Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Elin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Org
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine, Microbiology and Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Margarete
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehrabian
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine, Microbiology and Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: jlusis@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Aldons J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lusis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004777:Environment; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome / Q000276:immunology; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D049490:Systems Biology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Germ-free mice; Host-gut microbiota interactions; Mucosal immune system; Polyphenolic metabolites; Systems biology approach; Trimethylamine-N-oxide