About this Research Topic

Background

The microbiota in an adult human is equivalent to the major organs of the human body (brain and liver,) in terms of weight (~1.5 kg) and functionality. The gut, oral cavity, skin, and vagina are all major residing homes of the human microbiota. The human microbiota comprises of bacteria, viruses, archaea, fungi, and protozoans. Recent studies have revealed the presence of functional microbiota in blood, atherosclerotic plaques, adipose tissue and organs. Microbiota and its metabolites play a key role in insulin resistance, atherosclerotic plaque formation, inflammation, oxidative stress, and the metabolism of drugs and chemicals. Increasing evidence indicates their key role in the etiology and pathophysiology of different cardiovascular diseases and metabolic diseases.

The major goal of this Research Topic is to provide an up-to-date summary on recent findings on the role of the human microbiota during cardiovascular diseases and metabolic diseases. We are hopeful that this research topic will act as a key initiative towards facilitating a discussion on the inevitable role of microbiota and the development of policy decisions towards translational applications of microbiota in clinical practice, particularly for cardiovascular diseases.

Specific themes may include but are not limited to:
1) Epidemiology of the human microbiota (gut, oral, skin, etc.,) diversity and functional variation among cardiovascular and other metabolic diseases (diabetes, obesity, hypertension, cancer) in different populations.
2) Blood and vasculature microbiota during atherosclerosis and vascular complications.
3) Microbiota of novel niches of the human microbiota, including different tissue microbiota during cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
4) Profiling and deciphering of the role of non-bacterial communities, including fungi, virus, archaea, protozoans, etc., during cardiovascular diseases.
5) Unravelling the role of the microbiota on disease etiology, physiology and its response to medications and clinical procedures.
6) Inter-relating the gut microbiota changes with host gene expression and disease progression.
7) Impact of medications, surgical procedures, environmental exposures, physiological stress, etc., on the human microbiota and its impact on disease etiology and pathology.
8) Methodological articles describing microbiota characterization and inter-linking with host physiology including metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, metaproteomics and metametabolomics.
9) Translational perspectives of human microbiota including probiotics, fecal transplantation, etc., in cardiovascular medicine.
10) Role of the microbiota on heart and other organ transplantations.

Keywords: Human microbiota, gut microbiome, commensal bacteria, virome, cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis, diabetes, metabolic diseases

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