The mechanism of intestinal microecosystem effects on atherogenesis

Atherosclerosis is not only an inflammatory disease, but also a metabolic disease. The change of intestinal microecosystem can make double effects on atherogenesis. On the one hand, disordered intestinal microbes may accelerate atherogenesis through directly disturbing choline metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammation and so on. In addition, they could promote the development of atherosclerosis risk factors such as obesity, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes, which indirectly lead to atherogenesis. On the other hand, the increase of probiotics and prebiotics in the intestinal tract can effectively decrease the generation of endotoxin from intestinal microbes, enhance the barrier function, relieve body weights, remit inflammation, ameliorate the insulin resistance, thus to elimate the development of atherosclerosis. Therefore, reasonable adjustment of intestinal microecosystem will become an novel important prevention and therapy method for atherosclerosis.