TY  -  JOUR
AU  -  Maffei, Silvia
AU  -  Citti, Ilaria
AU  -  Guiducci, Letizia
T1  -  Microbiome, sex hormones and cardiovascular risk: 
a contribution to gender difference
PY  -  2021
Y1  -  2021-01-01
DO  -  10.1723/3528.35163
JO  -  The Italian Journal of Gender-Specific Medicine
JA  -  Ital J Gender-Specific Med
VL  -  7
IS  -  1
SP  -  22
EP  -  33
PB  -  Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore
SN  -  2612-3487
Y2  -  2026/05/02
UR  -  http://dx.doi.org/10.1723/3528.35163
N2  -  Summary. The gut microbiota (GM) is composed of all microorganisms living in the gastrointestinal tract. The development and composition of the GM are highly dependent on a multiplicity of environmental and host factors. Through complex mechanisms, the changes in the GM composition and the related microbial metabolites affect the immune system and the metabolic functions, leading to several pathological conditions, such as obesity and associated disorders, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. The recent literature highlighted the sex differences in the microbiome composition both in animal models and in human studies, together with a bidirectional cross-talk between the microbiota and the endocrine system. The GM composition, in fact, should be affected by the sex hormones levels; on the other hand, GM bacteria produce hormones (e.g., serotonin, dopamine and somatostatin), respond to host hormones (e.g., estrogens) and regulate the homeostasis of the hormones inhibiting the gene transcription (e.g., prolactin) or converting them in the host (e.g., glucocorticoids to androgens). In the future, novel therapeutic strategies targeting the gut microbial metabolic pathways and/or metabolites, as well as altering the gut microbial composition, will offer the opportunity to modulate the susceptibility to – and the prevention of – cardiovascular diseases.
ER  -