The intestinal microbiota associated with cardiac valve calcification differs from that of coronary artery disease.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Although most risk factors for cardiac valve calcification (VC) are similar to those for coronary artery disease (CAD), they differ regarding lesions and clinical symptoms. Recently, increasing evidence suggests that intestinal bacteria play essential roles in cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is plausible that the gut microbiota is linked to the occurrence of different CVDs under similar risk factors. Thus, we aimed to explore the gut microbiomes in patients with VC or CAD and determine their underlying connections.


METHODS
We collected samples from 119 subjects and performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing to analyze the gut microbiomes in VC and CAD patients and in control volunteers.


RESULTS
The gut microbiomes of VC and CAD patients were significantly different in terms of beta-diversity. Bacteria from Veillonella dispar, Bacteroides plebeius and Fusobacterium were enriched in the VC group, while members of Collinsella aerofaciens, Megamonas, Enterococcus, Megasphaera, Dorea and Blautia were decreased. According to the association with dyslipidemia, seven operational taxonomic units (OTUs), including Parabacteroides distasonis, Megamonas, Fusobacterium, Bacteroides sp., Bacteroides plebeius, Lactobacillus and Prevotella copri, were regarded as potential pathogens for CVDs. Additionally, Prevotella copri might be a keystone of CVDs, especially in VC patients, while Collinsella aerofaciens is a possible keystone of CAD, based on the multi-correlations of these bacteria with other OTUs in microbial communities.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with VC and CAD suffer from different gut microbial dysbiosis. The gut microbiomes are associated with the clinical characteristics in these diseases and might be potential therapeutic targets.
['Liu|Zuheng|Z|', 'Li|Jiaying|J|', 'Liu|Haiyue|H|', 'Tang|Ying|Y|', 'Zhan|Qiong|Q|', 'Lai|Wenyan|W|', 'Ao|Lihua|L|', 'Meng|Xianzhong|X|', 'Ren|Hao|H|', 'Xu|Dingli|D|', 'Zeng|Qingchun|Q|']
D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D002114:Calcinosis D003324:Coronary Artery Disease D064806:Dysbiosis D005260:Female D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome D006349:Heart Valve Diseases D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged
Cardiac valve calcification Coronary artery disease Gut microbiome