SAN DIEGO — A recent study presented at ASM Microbe 2026 investigated the influence of microbially modified bile acids on cardiovascular and metabolic health in mice exhibiting sleep apnea-like conditions. Obstructive sleep apnea is a disorder marked by recurring breathing interruptions during sleep, leading to reduced oxygen levels and increased carbon dioxide in the body.
The study employed two types of genetically heart-disease-susceptible mice: ApoE knock-out mice and ApoE/FXR knock-out mice. Mice were subjected to either standard room air sleeping conditions or environments simulating sleep apnea. Researchers monitored gut microbes and metabolites by analyzing fecal samples and examined arterial fatty plaques after the study concluded. Bile acids, which are produced by the liver, stored in the gallbladder, and released into the intestines for fat digestion, also function as chemical messengers interacting with receptors throughout the body.
Celeste Allaband, a university researcher, stated, "Our study shows that the FXR host receptor, which can be activated or deactivated by bile acids, plays a central role in driving the buildup of fatty plaques in the arteries during sleep apnea-like conditions."
Allaband said, "These results tell us that microbially modified bile acids and how they signal through the receptor we knocked out (FXR) seem to be key to the impact of sleep apnea-like conditions in our mouse model." Mice lacking the FXR receptor developed fewer fatty plaques in the aorta and aortic arch, while some plaque remained in the pulmonary artery.
Researchers plan to analyze human datasets to determine whether similar cardiovascular and metabolic patterns occur in people with sleep apnea. The team also plans to determine if supplementation of key bile acids can help prevent or reduce disease, and if key microbes can be given preventively as a probiotic.
No independent assessment of Celeste Allaband’s claims was available.