# Role of Diabetes Associated Intestinal Dysbiosis in cardiac disease

> **NIH NIH R01** · GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY · 2023 · $546,506

## Abstract

Project Summary/ Abstract:
Gut microbiota dysbiosis is associated with many chronic inflammatory diseases. Accordingly, previous
studies have shown intestinal microbiota dysbiosis correlates increased risk of cardiac disease (CD) in
diabetic patients. Yet, the role of diabetes induced alteration of gut microbiota in CD remains largely
unexplored. Recent work from our lab showed that transplant of microbiotas from diabetic mice to non-
diabetic mice did not impact glycemic control but rather conferred marked cardiac dysfunction in
recipient mice, thus providing initial evidence that diabetic-mediated changes in the intestinal microbiota
may impact heart function, irrespective of dysglycemia. Our central hypothesis is that diabetes-induced
gut microbiota dysbiosis, leads to increased gut permeability and translocation of bacteria and their
products in a manner that contributes to inflammation and heart dysfunction. Thus, manipulating
microbiota may provide a means to prevent CD in diabetic mellitus. The initial aim of this proposal is to
characterize microbial targets that lead to inflammation and CD. The second specific aim is to examine
the extent to which diabetes-induced alterations in microbiota result in dissemination of gut bacteria or
their products leads to impaired heart function. Aim2 will also investigate role of reduced gut motility
and elevated intestinal luminal glucose levels in driving microbiota dysbiosis. Finally, we will explore
potential approaches to target gut microbiota or gut barrier function therapeutically thus lowering risk
of CD in person with diabetes mellitus. We will use a variety of immunological, microbiological,
nanotechnological techniques in the proposed project. We anticipate discovery of novel mechanism by
which gut microbiota links diabetes and CD. Furthermore, we expect to develop therapeutic strategies
to maintain a healthy intestinal-microbiota relationship that will avoid bacteria translocation and
inflammation that leads to impaired heart function in diabetes mellitus.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10637593
- **Project number:** 1R01HL168465-01
- **Recipient organization:** GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Jun Zou
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $546,506
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-07-01 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10637593

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10637593, Role of Diabetes Associated Intestinal Dysbiosis in cardiac disease (1R01HL168465-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10637593. Licensed CC0.

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