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Review
. 2022 Mar 18:13:837500.
doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.837500. eCollection 2022.

The Intestinal Microbiota and Metabolites in the Gut-Kidney-Heart Axis of Chronic Kidney Disease

Yinghui Huang  1 , Wang Xin  1 , Jiachuan Xiong  1 , Mengying Yao  1 , Bo Zhang  1 , Jinghong Zhao  1
Affiliations
Review

The Intestinal Microbiota and Metabolites in the Gut-Kidney-Heart Axis of Chronic Kidney Disease

Yinghui Huang et al. Front Pharmacol. .

Abstract

Emerging evidences demonstrate the involvement of gut microbiota in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and CKD-associated complications including cardiovascular disease (CVD) and intestinal dysfunction. In this review, we discuss the interactions between the gut, kidney and heart in CKD state, and elucidate the significant role of intestinal microbiota in the gut-kidney-heart axis hypothesis for the pathophysiological mechanisms of these diseases, during which process mitochondria may serve as a potential therapeutic target. Dysregulation of this axis will lead to a vicious circle, contributing to CKD progression. Recent studies suggest novel therapies targeting gut microbiota in the gut-kidney-heart axis, including dietary intervention, probiotics, prebiotics, genetically engineered bacteria, fecal microbiota transplantation, bacterial metabolites modulation, antibiotics, conventional drugs and traditional Chinese medicine. Further, the identification of specific microbial communities and their corresponding pathophysiological metabolites and the illumination of the gut-kidney-heart axis may contribute to innovative basic research, clinical trials and therapeutic strategies against CKD progression and uremic complications in CKD patients.

Keywords: cardiovascular disease; chronic kidney disease; gut microbiota; gut-kidney-heart axis; intestinal dysfunction.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
The gut-kidney-heart axis hypothesis.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Uremic toxins in the gut-kidney-heart axis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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