Gut microbiota dysbiosis in stable coronary artery disease combined type 2 diabetes mellitus influence cardiovascular prognosis

Abstract Background and Aims Host-microbiota interactions involving metabolic pathways have been linked to the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic disease and type 2 diabetes. Since stable coronary artery disease patients combined with type 2 diabetes have significantly increased risk for cardiac event, we focused on elucidating the role of microbiota affecting cardiometabolic disease development. Methods and Results We used multi-omics analyses (metagenomics and metabolomics) of fecal and serum samples from a prospective cohort including stable coronary artery disease combined diabetes mellitus (SCAD+T2DM, n = 38), stable coronary artery disease (SCAD, n = 71), and healthy control (HC, n = 55). We connected microbiome features to disease severity in a three-pronged association analysis and identified prognostic bacterial biomarkers. We identified bacterial and metabolic signatures varied significantly between SCAD and SCAD+T2DM groups. SCAD+T2DM individuals were characterized by increased levels of aromatic amino acids and carbohydrates, which correlate with a gut microbiome with enriched biosynthetic potential. Meanwhile, our study addressed how metformin may confound gut dysbiosis and increase the potential for nitrogen metabolism. In addition, we found that specific bacterial taxa Ruminococcus torques [HR: 2.363 (08–4.56), P = 0.03] was predictive of cardiac survival outcomes. Conclusion Overall, our study identified relationships between features of the gut microbiota and circulating metabolites, providing a new direction for future studies aiming to understand the host–gut microbiota interplay in atherosclerotic cardiovascular pathogenesis.