A major cause of heart attacks? New research uncovers the unexpected impact of gut bacteria on heart health.
New findings from a significant study conducted in Sweden have established a connection between specific gut bacteria and the presence of fatty deposits in coronary arteries, known as coronary atherosclerotic plaques.
These plaques, consisting of accumulated fats and cholesterol, are a leading cause of heart attacks. The research, led by scientists from Uppsala and Lund University, has been published in the prestigious scientific journal Circulation.
Gut Bacteria Unveiled as Culprit Behind Heart Artery Fat Deposits
The study, published in the journal Circulation, focused on examining gut bacteria and cardiac imaging data from 8,973 participants between the ages of 50 and 65, hailing from Uppsala and Malmö, who had no prior history of heart disease. These individuals were part of the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS).
“We found that oral bacteria, especially species from the Streptococcus genus, are associated with increased occurrence of atherosclerotic plaques in the small arteries of the heart when present in the gut flora,” remarked Tove Fall, a professor in Molecular Epidemiology at the Department of Medical Sciences and the SciLifeLab, Uppsala University, who co-led the study with researchers from Lund University.
“Species from the Streptococcus genus are common causes of pneumonia and infections of the throat, skin and heart valves. We now need to understand whether these bacteria are contributing to atherosclerosis development.”
Advancements in technology have facilitated large-scale analysis of bacterial communities in biological samples through DNA sequencing and comparison with known bacterial sequences.
Furthermore, improvements in imaging techniques have enabled the detection and measurement of early changes in the heart’s small blood vessels. The SCAPIS study encompasses one of the world’s largest datasets combining these types of information. In this study, the scientists explored the relationship between the gut microbiota and the accumulation of fatty deposits in the heart’s arteries.
“The large number of samples with high-quality data from cardiac imaging and gut flora allowed us to identify novel associations. Among our most significant findings, Streptococcus anginosus and S. oralis subsp. oralis were the two strongest ones,” added Sergi Sayols-Baixeras, the lead author from Uppsala University.
The research team also discovered that some of the species associated with the development of fatty deposits in heart arteries were correlated with the levels of the same species present in the mouth.
This was determined by analyzing fecal and saliva samples from the Malmö Offspring Study and Malmö Offspring Dental Study. Moreover, these bacteria were found to be associated with markers of inflammation in the bloodstream, even after accounting for differences in diet and medication between participants who carried the bacteria and those who did not.
“We have just started to understand how the human host and the bacterial community in the different compartments of the body affect each other,” commented Marju Orho-Melander, a professor in Genetic Epidemiology at Lund University and one of the senior authors of the study.
“Our study shows worse cardiovascular health in carriers of streptococci in their gut. We now need to investigate if these bacteria are important players in atherosclerosis development,” added the senior author.
Source: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.063914DR2
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