Gut microbiota: a superior operator for dietary phytochemicals to improve atherosclerosis

Abstract

Mounting evidence implicates the gut microbiota as a possible key susceptibility factor for atherosclerosis (AS). The employment of dietary phytochemicals that strive to target the gut microbiota has gained scientific support for treating AS. This study conducted a general overview of the links between the gut microbiota and AS, and summarized available evidence that dietary phytochemicals improve AS via manipulating gut microbiota. Then, the microbial metabolism of several dietary phytochemicals was summarized, along with a discussion on the metabolites formed and the biotransformation pathways involving key gut bacteria and enzymes. This study additionally focused on the anti-atherosclerotic potential of representative metabolites from dietary phytochemicals, and investigated their underlying molecular mechanisms. In summary, microbiota-dependent dietary phytochemical therapy is a promising strategy for AS management, and knowledge of “phytochemical-microbiota-biotransformation” may be a breakthrough in the search for novel anti-atherogenic agents.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Atherosclerosis
• gut microbiota
• dietary phytochemicals
• biotransformation
• molecular mechanisms

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 32021005) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Food Safety and Quality Control in Jiangsu Province.