Polyphenols and gut microbiota interaction in cardiovascular health
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the main cause of mortality in Europe with an annual estimated cost of €210 billion. Different European Public Health strategies have targeted diet to prevent/treat CVDs. This multidisciplinary and multi-institutional project aims to provide new insights into the role of the gut microbiota as a key player in the beneficial effects against CVDs associated with the consumption of Polyphenols (PPs)-rich foods. PolyBiota will be developed through innovative research at one of the epicenters of PPs research (CEBAS-CSIC) and secondment at FISABIO (Valencia, Spain). Epidemiological, clinical, and preclinical studies suggest that the consumption of PPs-containing food protects against CVDs (i.e, modulating angiogenesis in atherosclerotic plaques) . However, these benefits are not always observed due to the high inter-individual variability. The gut microbiota has emerged as an essential player that regulates the bioactivity of PPs. Recent clinical trials indicate that the gut microbiota composition play a critical role in the activity of PPs improving CV biomarkers. These studies open a new door to investigate how the interaction PPs-gut microbiota can modulate mechanisms associated with the improvement of CVDs. PolyBiota will investigate: i) role of the gut microbiota as mediator of the effects of the consumption of Ellagitannins (ETs)-/urolithin (Uro)-A- and Isoflavones (IsoFlv)-/equol-enriched diets on angiogenesis/mechanisms related in untreated and antibiotic-treated animals, ii) the “prebiotic-like effect” of the ETs, Uro-A, IsoFlv and equol consumption on the gut microbiota population, iii) the effects of the gut microbiota-biosynthesized messenguers or the ETs- and IsoFlv-derived metabolites on in vitro tubulogenesis. PolyBiota shows an innovative approach combining cutting-edge techniques, “big data” management, endothelial cells, and in vivo animal models providing a holistic scene of the Diet-Gut Microbiota-Host interaction.