Korean Circ J.  2017 Sep;47(5):663-669. 10.4070/kcj.2017.0028.

Novel Concept of a Heart-Gut Axis in the Pathophysiology of Heart Failure

• Kamo T
• Akazawa H
• Suzuki JI
• Komuro I

• KMID: 2389597
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2017.0028

Abstract

Patients with heart failure (HF) have structural and functional changes of the gut as a result of microcirculatory disturbances. A disrupted gut epithelial barrier may lead to translocation of microbial products into systemic circulation, possibly aggravating HF by inducing inflammatory responses. Gut microbiota play an essential role in the maintenance of host homeostasis because large quantities of their gene products complement host physiological processes. Emerging evidence has suggested the potential clinical significance of gut microbiota in the pathophysiology of HF. Imbalances of gut microbe-derived metabolites can contribute to cardiac dysfunction and other morbidities in patients with HF. Therapeutic research for HF through targeting microbiota is under way. Thus, the novel concept of a heart-gut axis may lead to breakthroughs in the development of innovative diagnostics and therapeutic approaches for HF.

Keyword

Gut epithelial barrier; Gastrointestinal microbiome; Dysbiosis; Microbe-derived metabolites

MeSH Terms

Complement System Proteins
Dysbiosis
Gastrointestinal Microbiome
Heart Failure*
Heart*
Homeostasis
Humans
Microbiota
Physiological Processes
Therapeutic Human Experimentation
Complement System Proteins

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 Novel concept of a heart-gut axis. In patients with HF, microcirculatory disturbances result in gut epithelial dysfunction. HF is also associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis and possibly aberrant production of gut microbe-derived metabolites. The imbalance in microbe-derived metabolites together with gut epithelial dysfunction could contribute to cardiac dysfunction, inflammation, malnutrition, and other morbidities in HF patients.HF = heart failure.

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