# Neural mechanisms of host-microbiota interaction in hypertension: a potential for bio-electronic medicine

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO HEALTH SCI CAMPUS · 2021 · $465,342

## Abstract

Abstract
Hypertension (HTN) is a prevalent cardiovascular condition and a leading risk factor for other cardiovascular
diseases. If it remains untreated, HTN can lead to numerous comorbidities such as stroke, dementia, diabetes,
kidney disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and neurological disorders. Despite advances in prevention and multi-
drug therapy, a significant proportion of patients remain resistant or refractory to current treatments. In most
cases, treatment-resistant HTN is strongly neurogenic, characterized by a dysfunctional autonomic nervous
system (ANS) most recently linked to gut dysbiosis. However, mechanisms of host-microbiota interaction in HTN
are not well defined. Our new preliminary data suggests that a breakdown in the neural gut-brain communication
resulting from gut dysbiosis may be mediated by reduced serotonergic receptor signaling on the vagal afferent
projections from the gut to the nucleus of the solitary tract. In this application, we propose to use state of the art
in vivo imaging, electrophysiology and neural stimulation approaches in transgenic and humanized rats in order
to interrogate specific molecular and neural mechanisms of host-microbiota interaction in health and HTN, while
evaluating the potential of sub-diaphragmatic vagal stimulation for bio-electronic medicine to alleviate the
symptoms of gut dysbiosis in HTN.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10122295
- **Project number:** 1R01HL152162-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO HEALTH SCI CAMPUS
- **Principal Investigator:** Jasenka Zubcevic
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $465,342
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-06-01 → 2026-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10122295

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10122295, Neural mechanisms of host-microbiota interaction in hypertension: a potential for bio-electronic medicine (1R01HL152162-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10122295. Licensed CC0.

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