Figure 3.

Role of the gut microbiome in the incidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. A low-fiber diet is associated with a decreased production of the short-chain fatty acid butyrate, subsequently aggravating dysbiosis as well as sustaining local and systemic inflammation through leakage of bacterial toxins, notably LPS. A modern western diet rich in red meat promotes bacterial production of TMA, which is then oxidized to the pro-atherosclerotic metabolite TMAO in the liver. FMO3: flavin-containing monooxygenase 3, LPS: lipopolysaccharides, TMA: trimethylamine, TMAO: trimethylamine N-oxide.