Altun Mehzat, Küçük Uğur, Yıldırım Nuray
Vocational School of Health Services, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Türkiye.
Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Türkiye.
Anatol J Cardiol. 2025 Mar 21;29(6):282-90. doi: 10.14744/AnatolJCardiol.2025.5048.
The increase in aortic stiffness is a significant parameter of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), posing a substantial global health challenge and economic burden. The gut microbiota and its homeostasis, directly and indirectly, influence CVD. This study investigated the extent to which alterations in the gut microbiota can affect aortic parameters in a rat model through the administration of VSL#3.
Twelve male Wistar rats were divided into VSL#3-treated and control groups. Cardiac function, aortic systolic, and diastolic values were assessed via echocardiography on day 0 and day 42, and fecal specimens were simultaneously collected from each rat. The formation and composition of the gut microbial flora were profiled using 16S rDNA gene sequencing.
Differences in bacterial density, as indicated by Chao analysis, exhibited statistical significance (P = .037) between the 2 groups. Additionally, in the VSL#3-treated group, significant improvements were observed in aortic systolic and diastolic diameters, as well as in aortic strain parameters, compared to the control group.
This research highlights the potential of gut microbiome modulation, specifically through VSL#3 administration, as a promising strategy to improve aortic parameters, suggesting a novel avenue for cardiovascular health interventions.
主动脉僵硬度增加是心血管疾病（CVD）的一个重要参数，给全球健康带来了巨大挑战和经济负担。肠道微生物群及其稳态直接或间接地影响心血管疾病。本研究通过给予VSL#3，探讨肠道微生物群的改变在大鼠模型中对主动脉参数的影响程度。
将12只雄性Wistar大鼠分为VSL#3治疗组和对照组。在第0天和第42天通过超声心动图评估心脏功能、主动脉收缩压和舒张压值，并同时从每只大鼠收集粪便样本。使用16S rDNA基因测序对肠道微生物菌群的形成和组成进行分析。
通过Chao分析表明，两组之间细菌密度存在统计学差异（P = .037）。此外，与对照组相比，VSL#3治疗组的主动脉收缩和舒张直径以及主动脉应变参数均有显著改善。
本研究强调了调节肠道微生物群的潜力，特别是通过给予VSL#3，作为改善主动脉参数的一种有前景的策略，为心血管健康干预提供了一条新途径。
