Causal Link Between Gut Microbiota and Arterial Occlusive Diseases: Insights From Mendelian Randomization and Bioinformatics Analysis.

Background: Arterial occlusive diseases (AOD), including peripheral artery disease (PAD), are significant causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Emerging evidence suggests that gut microbiota may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of PAD. However, causal relationships remain unclear due to limitations in observational studies.

Aims: This study aims to investigate the causal relationship between gut microbiota and PAD.

Methods: This study employed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach using genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics to investigate the causal relationship between gut microbiota and PAD. Genetic variants associated with gut microbiota were used as instrumental variables. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess pleiotropy and heterogeneity, and results were validated in independent datasets.

Results: We identified significant causal associations between specific gut microbiota and PAD. Notably, Candidatus Soleaferrea and Ruminococcaceae UCG005 were positively associated with PAD risk. Validation analyses across diverse populations confirmed the robustness of these associations. Pathway enrichment analysis highlighted potential mechanisms, including inflammatory and metabolic pathways such as TNF signaling and AMPK signaling pathway.

Conclusion: This study provides strong evidence of a causal relationship between gut microbiota and AOD, particularly PAD. The findings highlight the potential of gut microbiota as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in managing vascular diseases. Further research is warranted to explore microbiota-targeted interventions and their clinical applications.