Insight into the Molecular Mechanisms of Heart-Gut Axis in the Pathophysiology of Heart Failure

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K15989
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Cardiovascular medicine
• Research Institution: The Institute for Adult Diseases Asahi Life Foundation
• Principal Investigator: Kamo Takehiro 公益財団法人朝日生命成人病研究所, 循環器科, 部長 (10722556)
• Research Collaborator: Yao Takako
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 心疾患 / 腸上皮バリア / 腸内細菌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this research is to explore the link between the heart and the gut and to clarify the functional roles of the gut and the gut microbiota in the pathophysiology of heart failure. This research focuses on the following subjects.
1) Insight into the role of gut epithelial barrier function in heart failure. I have found that expression levels of antimicrobial peptides were decreased in the gut epithelium of mice with heart failure.
2) Insight into the functional role of gut microbiota in heart failure. I recently showed that heart failure is associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis through 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing of fecal samples from patients with heart failure. Furthermore, I have discovered that depletion of gut microbiota attenuates cardiac hypertrophy in mice with heart failure.

Free Research Field

循環器内科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究によって腸および腸内細菌叢と心不全との関連性が明らかになれば、心不全の病態研究にブレイクスルーがもたらされ、さらに腸上皮バリアおよび腸内細菌叢への介入による新たな心不全治療開発の基盤構築につながることが期待される。すなわち、食事や薬剤などにより腸上皮バリアおよび腸内細菌叢を制御することができれば、これまでの薬物治療とは全く異なるアプローチによる心不全治療が確立されることになる。