Beneficial effect of the short-chain fatty acid propionate on vascular calcification through intestinal microbiota remodelling

Yan, Jianlong1,2; Pan, Yanbin2,3; Shao, Wenming4; Wang, Caiping1,2; Wang, Rongning1,2; He, Yaqiong1,2; Zhang, Min1,2; Wang, Yongshun1,2; Li, Tangzhiming1,2; Wang, Zhefeng1,2; Liu, Wenxing1,2; Wang, Zhenmin5; Sun, Xin1,2; Dong, Shaohong1,2

2022-11-16

10.1186/s40168-022-01390-0

Microbiome   Impact Factor & Quartile

2049-2618

["Background: Vascular calcification is a major cause of the high morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular diseases and is closely associated with the intestinal microbiota. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are derived from the intestinal microbiota and can also regulate intestinal microbiota homeostasis. However, it remains unclear whether exogenous supplementation with propionate, a SCFA, can ameliorate vascular calcification by regulating the intestinal microbiota. This study was conducted to explore the roles of propionate and the intestinal microbiota in the process of vascular calcification.","Methods: In total, 92 patients were enrolled consecutively as the observational cohort to analyse the relationship between SCFAs and vascular calcification in both blood and faecal samples. A rat model of vascular calcification was induced by vitamin D3 and nicotine (VDN) to validate the effect of propionate. Differences in the intestinal microbiota were analysed by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. Faecal microbiota transplantation and Akkermansia muciniphila transplantation experiments were performed to evaluate the functions of the intestinal microbiota.","Results: The results of the observational cohort study revealed that the levels of SCFAs (particularly propionate) in both blood and faecal samples independently correlated negatively with calcification scores (P < 0.01). To verify the activities of propionate, it was provided to VDN-treated rats, and oral or rectal propionate delivery reshaped the intestinal microbiota, resulted in elevated SCFA production, improved intestinal barrier function and alleviated inflammation, ultimately ameliorating vascular calcification. Furthermore, we demonstrated that transplantation of the propionate-modulated intestinal microbiota induced beneficial outcomes similar to those with oral or rectal propionate administration. Interestingly, linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) revealed that oral or rectal propionate administration and propionate-modulated intestinal microbiota transplantation both enriched primarily Akkermansia. Subsequently, we demonstrated that Akkermansia supplementation could ameliorate VDN-induced vascular calcification in rats.","Conclusions: Propionate can significantly ameliorate vascular calcification in VDN-treated rats, and this effect is mediated by intestinal microbiota remodelling. The findings in our study indicate that the intestinal tract-vessel axis is a promising target for alleviating vascular calcification."]

Vascular calcification Intestinal microbiota Short-chain fatty acids Propionate Akkermansia muciniphila

SCI

English

Corresponding

National Natural Science Foundation of China["81770496","82000058","82070517"] ; Science and Technology Planning Project of Shenzhen Municipality[JCYJ20170307100512856]

Microbiology

Microbiology

WOS:000885087800001

BMC

Web of Science

1.Jinan Univ, Dept Cardiol, Shenzhen Cardiovasc Minimally Invas Med Engn Tech, Shenzhen Peoples Hosp,Clin Med Coll 2, Shenzhen 518020, Guangdong, Peoples R China
2.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Affiliated Hosp 1, Shenzhen 518020, Guangdong, Peoples R China
3.Jinan Univ, Clin Med Coll 2, Shenzhen Peoples Hosp, Dept Hlth Management Ctr, Shenzhen 518020, Guangdong, Peoples R China
4.Jinan Univ, Dept Emergency, Affiliated Hosp 1, Guangzhou 510630, Guangdong, Peoples R China
5.Jinan Univ, Clin Med Coll 2, Dept Spine Surg,Shenzhen Peoples Hosp, Shenzhen Key Lab Musculoskeletal Tissue Reconstru, Shenzhen 518020, Peoples R China

Yan, Jianlong,Pan, Yanbin,Shao, Wenming,et al. Beneficial effect of the short-chain fatty acid propionate on vascular calcification through intestinal microbiota remodelling[J]. Microbiome,2022,10(1).

Yan, Jianlong.,Pan, Yanbin.,Shao, Wenming.,Wang, Caiping.,Wang, Rongning.,...&Dong, Shaohong.(2022).Beneficial effect of the short-chain fatty acid propionate on vascular calcification through intestinal microbiota remodelling.Microbiome,10(1).

Yan, Jianlong,et al."Beneficial effect of the short-chain fatty acid propionate on vascular calcification through intestinal microbiota remodelling".Microbiome 10.1(2022).