Researchers have discovered gut bacteria that may suggest a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Broad Institute and Harvard-Massachusetts General Hospital on Tuesday revealed the results of a study examining different species of gut bacteria that consume cholesterol. Scientists examined the genomes of microorganisms collected from more than 1,400 participants in the Framingham Heart Study, a decades-long study aimed at identifying common factors and characteristics that contribute to cardiovascular disease.

The scientists collected bacteria from stool samples and grew them to create an overview of particularly abundant bacteria, such as Oscilibacter, and used spectroscopic analysis to identify byproducts of cholesterol consumption. These studies and machine learning have allowed scientists to document more than 16,000 connections between metabolism and these microscopic life forms and identify the enzymes that enable biochemical transformations. .

Ramnik Xavier, co-director and member of the Infectious Diseases and Microbiome Program at the Broad Institute, said: “Our research integrates findings from human subjects with experimental validation to improve cardiovascular health. “This will ensure that we can achieve practical mechanistic insights that serve as a starting point.” According to the press release, the research results are as follows.

The study found that Oscilibacter and another bacterium known as Eubacterium coprostanorigenes work together to consume cholesterol, and that Oscilibacter is associated with lower cholesterol levels in the blood and stool. did. Researchers believe the discovery of these cholesterol-consuming enzymes could lead to potential therapeutic breakthroughs and further discoveries about how gut bacteria influence human metabolism. I think there is.

“The gut microbiome contains many genes with unknown functions, so there are gaps in our ability to predict metabolic function,” study co-author Chenghao Li said in a statement. “Our study highlights the possibility that additional sterol metabolic pathways are modified by gut microbes. new discoveries may be made.”

Scientists have conducted many studies to elucidate an individual’s risk of cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is one of the many diseases associated with obesity and is another epidemic affecting the nation and the planet. dallas express They recently reported on the discovery of a genetic marker that may reveal a predisposition to cardiovascular disease hidden in our “biological glue.”