Gut bacterium slows artery plaque like a statin

Atherosclerosis is one of the leading causes of heart and vascular disease. It begins when cholesterol-rich particles accumulate in artery walls and trigger inflammation. The composition of your gut bacteria appears to influence that process.

Chinese researchers first analysed gut microbiome data from people with and without cardiovascular disease. One species stood out: Bacteroides uniformis was notably more abundant in the healthy group. They then administered the bacterium to mice lacking the Apoe gene, which makes them rapidly develop atherosclerosis on a high-fat diet. After twelve weeks, aortic plaque area was smaller, LDL cholesterol was lower, and overall blood fat levels had also fallen. The study was published in Nature.

How does it work?

The key is in the liver. B. uniformis reduces cholesterol production in liver cells. Sensing a cholesterol deficit, those cells upregulate LDL receptors, which capture harmful LDL cholesterol from the bloodstream. When the researchers selectively disabled the LDL receptor gene in the liver, the protective effect disappeared entirely. The bacterium only works if those receptors are present.

The researchers compared the effect with atorvastatin, a widely used cholesterol-lowering drug. The bacterium performed comparably or slightly less well. One important caveat: measurements were taken relative to the control group at the end of the experiment, not relative to baseline. The study shows that atherosclerosis was slowed, not reversed.

What this could mean

For longevity research, the concept that gut bacteria could act as a natural brake on cholesterol is an intriguing avenue beyond conventional drugs. Results apply only to mice so far. Clinical research in humans has not been conducted. Whether B. uniformis can be safely and effectively used in human gut microbiomes remains an open question.

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