In a combination of both clinical studies of over 4,000 patients and animal model studies, Cleveland Clinic researchers have demonstrated -- for the first time -- that gut microbes alter platelet function and risk of blood clot-related illnesses like heart attack and stroke.
When the nutrient choline -- which is abundant in animal products like meat and egg yolk -- is ingested, gut microbes play a role in breaking it down and producing the compound TMAO. High levels of TMAO have been linked to heart disease in recent studies. The studies showed that blood TMAO levels are associated with heightened risk of heart attacks and strokes in humans, even after adjusting for traditional cardiac risk factors, renal function, markers of inflammation, medication use, and cardiovascular disease status.
When the nutrient choline -- which is abundant in animal products like meat and egg yolk -- is ingested, gut microbes play a role in breaking it down and producing the compound TMAO. High levels of TMAO have been linked to heart disease in recent studies. The studies showed that blood TMAO levels are associated with heightened risk of heart attacks and strokes in humans, even after adjusting for traditional cardiac risk factors, renal function, markers of inflammation, medication use, and cardiovascular disease status.
The new study -- to be published in Cell's shows that TMAO directly alters platelet function, increasing thrombosis (blood clot) potential, which could potentially be the mechanism by which TMAO increases heart attack and stroke risk. These findings reveal a previously unrecognized mechanistic link between specific dietary nutrients, gut microbes, platelet function, and thrombosis risk.
In this study, researchers analyzed blood levels of TMAO in over 4,000 patients and saw a significant correlation between higher TMAO and thrombosis potential. This generated the hypothesis that TMAO may directly impact platelet function. Subsequent studies with both human platelets and animal models confirmed that TMAO makes platelets over-reactive, heightening thrombosis potential and accelerating clotting rates. Enhanced platelet responsiveness and clot formation is the culminating event that causes a heart attack or stroke, which account for the majority of deaths worldwide.
Microbial transplantation studies showed TMAO production and thrombosis potential are transmissible traits, building on the recent demonstration that atherosclerosis susceptibility similarly can be transmitted from donor to recipient with transfer of gut microbes via TMAO production potential.
This latest discovery further adds to the growing body of data showing a link between TMAO, gut microbes, and heart disease. It also shows that lowering TMAO may represent a potential new way to reduce the formation of blood clots, and therefore decrease the risk of cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes.
Edited
Latest News
New origin of deep brain waves
By newseditor
Posted 17 Apr
Starving cells hijack prote…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Apr
Miniature battery-free epid…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Apr
Molecular causes of differe…
By newseditor
Posted 16 Apr
Cell's 'garbage disposal' h…
By newseditor
Posted 16 Apr
Other Top Stories
Why some women don't need pain relief during childbirth
Read more
Brain network mechanism causing spatial memory impairment revealed
Read more
Sex differences in human brain anatomy
Read more
Exhaled biomarkers can reveal lung disease
Read more
What happens around an Alzheimer plaque?
Read more
Protocols
MemPrep, a new technology f…
By newseditor
Posted 08 Apr
A tangible method to assess…
By newseditor
Posted 08 Apr
Stem cell-derived vessels-o…
By newseditor
Posted 06 Apr
Single-cell biclustering fo…
By newseditor
Posted 01 Apr
Modular dual-color BiAD sen…
By newseditor
Posted 31 Mar
Publications
The immunobiology of herpes…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Apr
Circulating microbiome DNA…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Apr
Spindle oscillations in com…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Apr
Oligodendroglial macroautop…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Apr
COPII with ALG2 and ESCRTs…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Apr
Presentations
Hydrogels in Drug Delivery
By newseditor
Posted 12 Apr
Lipids
By newseditor
Posted 31 Dec
Cell biology of carbohydrat…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Nov
RNA interference (RNAi)
By newseditor
Posted 23 Oct
RNA structure and functions
By newseditor
Posted 19 Oct
Posters
A chemical biology/modular…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Aug
Single-molecule covalent ma…
By newseditor
Posted 04 Jul
ASCO-2020-HEALTH SERVICES R…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-HEAD AND NECK CANCER
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CAN…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar