Relationship between Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines and Gut Microbiome in Chronic Coronary Syndrome Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) patients have a high mortality rate globally. Atherosclerosis, a cause of CCS, is influenced by inflammation. Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 (IL-1), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) have a key role in the process of atherosclerosis. Moreover, gut microbiota dysbiosis can lead to leaky gut syndrome, subsequently triggering abnormal immune responses and contributing to diseases, including atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD). Objective: To study the relationship between pro-inflammatory cytokines and gut microbiome in CCS patients undergoing coronary angiography. Material and Methods: Participants were divided into two groups by using statistical matching techniques with age and gender, as CCS patients and healthy participants. Each patient’s blood was collected on the day of the appointment. All patients’ feces were collected one day before an appointment. The present research was a cross-sectional study. Results: Fifty-three patients, including 28 CCS patients and 25 healthy participants were enrolled. CCS patients had a higher level of TNF-α compared to healthy participants with statistical significance at 79.31 pg/mL. Phascolarctobacterium, Sutterella, and Prevotella could distinguish CCS patients from healthy participants based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Proteus and Phascolarctobacterium were positively correlated with TNF-α. Conclusion: There is a potential relationship between gut microbiome composition and inflammatory biomarkers in CCS patients. Pro-inflammatory cytokines and specific bacterial genera may be related to indicate significant CAD in CCS patients undergoing coronary angiography.