Vancomycin changes gut bacteria to protect the heart via microRNA-204
Official title: Glycopeptide vancomycin reshapes gut microbiota to mediate cardioprotective effects via microRNA-204
Funded at University of Iowa · NIH-11287895 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Using the antibiotic vancomycin to change gut bacteria, the team aims to protect people whose left heart is under pressure from conditions like high blood pressure or aortic valve narrowing.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Iowa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Iowa City, United States) |
| Project start | March 10, 2024 |
| Project end | February 28, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $505,127 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL167773-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11287895 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with left ventricular pressure overload from chronic hypertension or aortic valve narrowing, or those at high risk of developing pressure-overload heart failure, would be the most likely candidates for future related therapies.
✕Less likely to help
People without pressure-overload heart conditions or those who cannot take antibiotics or tolerate microbiome changes are less likely to benefit from the approaches studied here.
What this research studies
Researchers will use mouse models that mimic left ventricular pressure overload and give vancomycin to shift the gut microbiome, watching whether this prevents heart muscle thickening and loss of function. They will measure changes in specific gut bacteria (for example, Lactobacillus) and in bacterial metabolites such as tryptamine in feces and blood. The team will examine cardiac levels of microRNA-204 and use genetic tools to test whether miR-204 is required for the protective effects. These experiments are intended to point toward gut-targeted approaches or metabolites that might one day protect people at risk of heart failure from pressure overload.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new gut-based treatments or metabolite therapies that prevent or slow heart muscle thickening and progression toward heart failure in people with pressure-overload conditions.
How similar studies have gone: Early animal data, including the investigators' own mouse studies, suggest microbiome shifts and the metabolite tryptamine can protect the heart, but translating these findings to humans remains largely untested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Iowa
Iowa City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vikram, Ajit — University of Iowa
- Study coordinator: Vikram, Ajit
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.