MICROBIOTA, SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION AND CARDIOVASCULAR FUNCTION


Mohamad Navab, Ph.D., David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, CA, USA

Inflammation contributes to different degrees to most if not all pathological conditions. The GI system including small intestine plays a major role in systemic inflammation and thus cardiovascular well being. We have reported that anti inflammatory peptides that do not get absorb significantly and are not present in high concentrations in circulation reduce inflammation due to high fat-high cholesterol diet (Western Diet) in preclinical studies. This was paralleled by reduction in atherosclerotic lesion formation. Therefore the site of action of the peptides is likely the intestine. We have observed that small intestine appears to be a major site for this effect. One mechanism of action seems to be the action of the lysophosphatidic acid, a powerful growth promoter that has an extremely high affinity for toxic oxidized fatty acids and phospholipids. Reduction in these toxic oxidized lipids was shown to correlate with liver SAA and circulation SAA. The fascinating phenomenon for which a hypothesis is gaining strength is the effect on the intestinal microbiota. The high fat-high cholesterol diet (Western Diet) results in changes in the micro flora of the small intestine. It would be important to show the effect of the anti inflammatory peptides on reversal of eth Western diet, on systemic inflammation and on cardiovascular physiology and pathology.