Gut microbiota and atherosclerosis: current concepts of the underlying mechanisms and features in childhood

Sadykova D.I., Salakhova K.R., Nigmatullina R.R., Galimova L.F., Slastnikova E.S., Khaliullina Ch.D.

1) Kazan State Medical University, Kazan, Russia; 2) Republican Children’s Hospital, Kazan, Russia

The gut microbiota is increasingly regarded as a missing link between metabolic disturbances, chronic inflammation, and the development of atherosclerosis. The aim of the study is to summarize current concepts regarding the influence of the composition and functional activity of the gut microbiome on intestinal barrier permeability, immunoinflammatory mechanisms, endothelial function, and vascular remodeling. Particular attention is paid to microbial metabolites, including trimethylamine N-oxide, short-chain fatty acids, indole derivatives, imidazole propionate, and phenylacetylglutamine, and to their bidirectional effects on key pathways involved in atherogenesis. The review also addresses the specific features of the gut microbiota in children with primary hyperlipidemia and early vascular changes, as well as the potential of microbiota modulation as one of the approaches to atherosclerosis prevention.

For citations: Sadykova D.I., Salakhova K.R., Nigmatullina R.R., Galimova L.F., Slastnikova E.S., Khaliullina Ch.D. Gut microbiota and atherosclerosis: current concepts of the underlying mechanisms and features in childhood
. Pharmateca. 2026;33(7):46-53. (In Russ.). DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/pharmateca.2026.7.46-53

Author contributions: The authors contributed equally to all stages of the work and the preparation of the manuscript.
Conflict of interest: The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest.
Funding: This research was supported by a grant from Kazan State Medical University (Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation) and received financial support through the «Priority-2030» State Program.

Keywords

About the Authors

Dinara I. Sadykova, Dr. Sci. (Med.), Professor, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan, Head of the Department of Hospital Pediatrics, Dean of the Faculty of Pediatrics, Kazan State Medical University, Kazan, Russia; sadykovadi@mail.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6662-3548, Scopus ID: 57028177600, eLibrary SPIN: 2455-6428
Karina R. Salakhova, Cand. Sci. (Med.), Assistant at the Department of Hospital Pediatrics, Kazan State Medical University, Kazan; Pediatric Cardiologist, Children’s Republican Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan, Russia; karina.salakh@mail.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7327-7025, Scopus ID: 57226148625, eLibrary SPIN: 5764-8282 (corresponding author)
Razina R. Nigmatullina, Dr. Sci. (Biol.), Professor at the Department of Normal Physiology, Kazan State Medical University, Kazan, Russia;
razinar@mail.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4686-1231, Scopus ID: 6603233999, eLibrary SPIN: 4924-1077
Liliya F. Galimova, Dr. Sci. (Med.), Associate Professor at the Department of Hospital Pediatrics, Kazan State Medical University, Kazan, Russia Head of the Ultrasound Diagnostics Department, Functional Diagnostics Physician, Children’s Republican Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan, Russia; lilu1@inbox.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5576-5279, Scopus ID: 57201636793, eLibrary SPIN: 427-6727
Evgeniya S. Slastnikova, Cand. Sci. (Med.), Senior Lecturer at the Department of Hospital Pediatrics, Kazan State Medical University, Kazan, Russia; Pediatric Cardiologist and Lipidologist, Children’s Republican Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan, Russia; e.slastnikova@mail.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1732-7443, Scopus ID: 58532300900, eLibrary SPIN: 9025-7570
Chulpan D. Khaliullina, Assistant at the Department of Hospital Pediatrics, Kazan State Medical University, Kazan, Russia; Pediatric Cardiologist, Children’s Republican Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan, Russia; chulpandanilevna@yandex.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6667-7725, Scopus ID: 57217147711, eLibrary SPIN: 9224-5882

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