Gut microbiota-associated leucine elevation promotes cold-induced atherosclerotic plaque formation and instability - PubMed
3 hours ago
- #Gut Microbiota
- #Cold Exposure
- #Atherosclerosis
- Cold exposure accelerates atherosclerotic plaque formation and instability in ApoE−/− mice on a Western diet.
- Cold-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis leads to elevated circulating leucine levels.
- Increased leucine suppresses macrophage Zic2, reducing Gas6 expression and impairing efferocytosis.
- Impaired efferocytosis results in defective clearance of apoptotic cells, heightening inflammation and plaque instability.
- Lactobacillus johnsonii supplementation normalizes leucine levels, restores Zic2-Gas6 signaling, and attenuates plaque progression.
- Leucine supplementation mimics cold exposure effects, promoting plaque development and instability.
- The study identifies a cold-microbiota-leucine-Zic2-Gas6-efferocytosis axis linking environmental stress to atherosclerosis.