Atherosclerosis ; etiology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Inflammation

Atherosclerosis ; metabolism ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; metabolism ; Humans

Apolipoproteins B ; metabolism ; Atherosclerosis ; metabolism ; Humans

Atherosclerosis ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Lipid Metabolism ; Postmenopause

Atherosclerosis ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Biomarkers ; Humans ; Proteomics

Humans ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Atherosclerosis ; Methylamines/metabolism*

OBJECTIVEThis review aimed to summarize the relationship between intestinal microbiota metabolism and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and to propose a novel CVD therapeutic target.

DATA SOURCESThis study was based on data obtained from PubMed and EMBASE up to June 30, 2015. Articles were selected using the following search terms: "Intestinal microbiota", "trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO)", "trimethylamine (TMA)", "cardiovascular", and "atherosclerosis".

STUDY SELECTIONStudies were eligible if they present information on intestinal microbiota metabolism and atherosclerosis. Studies on TMA-containing nutrients were also included.

RESULTSA 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.

CONCLUSIONSIntestinal microbiota metabolism is associated with atherosclerosis and may represent a promising therapeutic target with respect to CVD management.

Atherosclerosis (AS) is an invisible killer among cardiovascular diseases (CVD), which has seriously threatened the life of quality. The complex pathogenesis of AS involves multiple interrelated events and cell types, such as macrophages, endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells and immune cells. Currently, the efficacy of recommended statin treatment is not satisfactory. Natural products (NPs) have attracted increasing attention with regard to their broad structural diversity and biodiversity, which makes them a promising library in the demand for lead compounds with cardiovascular protective bio-activity. NPs can preclude the development of AS by regulating lipid metabolism, ameliorating inflammation, stabilizing plaques, and remodeling the gut microbiota, which lays a foundation for the application of NPs in clinical therapeutics.
Humans ; Biological Products/metabolism* ; Endothelial Cells/metabolism* ; Atherosclerosis/metabolism* ; Macrophages/metabolism* ; Inflammation/metabolism*

Atherosclerosis is a leading cause of death worldwide, and its mechanisms are still unclear. However, various animal models have significantly advanced our understanding of the mechanisms involved in atherosclerosis and have allowed the evaluation of therapeutic options. The aim of this paper is to review those animal models (i.e., rabbits, mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters, avian, carnivores, swine, and, non-human primates) that have been used to study atherosclerosis. Though there is no single perfect animal model that completely replicates the stages of human atherosclerosis, cholesterol feeding and mechanical endothelial injury are two common features shared by most models of atherosclerosis. Further, with the development of genetically modified animals, these models are significantly broadening our understanding of the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; epidemiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans

Lipids droplets are organelles that store neutral lipids and are closely related to lipid accumulation. Long chain acyl-coenzyme A synthetase 3 (ACSL3) is a lipid droplet-associated protein mainly distributed in the cell membrane, endoplasmic reticulum, and intracellular lipid droplets, and its distribution depends on cell type and fatty acid supply. ACSL3 is a key regulator of fatty acid metabolism that is closely related to intracellular lipid accumulation, and plays an important role in various pathophysiological processes such as lipid droplet synthesis and lipid metabolism, cellular inflammation, and ferroptosis. This paper mainly reviews the role of ACSL3 in lipid synthesis, ferroptosis, and inflammatory response, with focus on the mechanism of its role in lipid accumulation in atherosclerosis, and provides new ideas for exploring potential therapeutic targets in atherosclerotic diseases.
Humans ; Atherosclerosis ; Coenzyme A Ligases/metabolism* ; Endoplasmic Reticulum/metabolism* ; Fatty Acids/metabolism* ; Lipid Metabolism