Inhibiting imidazole propionate signaling for atherosclerosis

Inhibiting myeloid cell signaling induced by the gut microbiota-derived metabolite imidazole propionate via its receptor IR1 and downstream effector mTOR could help treat atherosclerosis by reducing immune cell activation and aortic infiltration that promotes the disease.

In mice with high-cholesterol diet-induced atherosclerosis, a metabolomics analysis identified imidazole propionate as highly enriched in plasma, and higher levels were associated with greater atherosclerosis severity. ...