May 5, 2023
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Chronic stress is known to have a negative impact on cardiovascular health. Determining if stress affects heart health through changes in gut bacteria and if exercise can provide protection is the goal of a $4.3 million grant researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine received Thursday from the American Heart Association (AHA).
The grant is part of a $15 million AHA project studying the biological mechanisms of chronic stress that can increase cardiovascular disease risk. Ohio State University will become part of AHA’s Strategically Focused Research Network and work on a three-part research project in partnership with Meharry Medical College, an historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Nashville, Tenn. The project will study the correlation between exercise and changes in the gut bacteria, which is known to influence the development of heart disease.
“This collaborative effort brings together experts in cardiovascular disease, environmental risk factors, exercise physiology, gut microbiome, epidemiology, cardiometabolic health, community-based participatory research and clinical research. Heart disease is the leading cause of death, and we know chronic stress can cause an increased risk of coronary artery disease and stroke. It’s essential to define interactions and potential interventions between stress and cardiovascular disease,” said Kristin Stanford, PhD, associate professor of physiology and cell biology and internal medicine/endocrinology, who is leading Ohio State’s research project along with a team of Ohio State researchers and community organizations.
“Exercise protects against the harmful effects of stress by reducing cortisol levels, heart rate and anxiety responses. Recent studies have investigated the effects of exercise on the gut and found that exercise changes the makeup of the microbiome and that these changes likely have several benefits for human health. However, the connection between cardiovascular disease, chronic stress, the gut microbiome and exercise has not been investigated,” said Stanford, associate director of the Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute.
Two of Ohio State’s studies will use mouse models. One will determine if exercise can reverse the effects of stress on heart health and is led by Loren Wold, PhD, professor of surgery in the Division of Cardiac Surgery and associate dean for research operations and compliance in the College of Medicine.
Another study, led by Stanford, will determine if maternal exercise negates the effects of maternal stress on offspring cardiovascular health and if these effects are brought about by the gut microbiome. Tamar Gur, MD, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry, neuroscience, obstetrics & gynecology and public health, will lead evaluation of aspects of psychosocial stress and the microbiome. Stanford and Wold will also co-direct a training core focused on developing the next generation of cardiovascular scientists at Ohio State and Meharry Medical College.
The third study will determine if Black Impact, a 24-week healthy lifestyle intervention program for Black men, improves heart health. It will also examine how the program affects stress and if it changes inflammation and gut microbiome in study participants. Co-created by Ohio State and The National African American Male Wellness Agency, Black Impact is a fusion of academic, community and government partnerships with community-based participatory researchers including Joshua Joseph, MD, assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, and Timiya Nolan, PhD, assistant professor of nursing in the College of Nursing. Other partners are Health Impact Ohio, Columbus Public Health, AHA, American Cancer Society, Franklin County Public Health, OhioHealth, Ohio State Nutrition Services, Ohio State Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) and Columbus Recreation and Parks Department.
“Black men have the shortest life expectancy and lowest cardiovascular health of any non-indigenous race/sex group. Thus, programs to improve cardiovascular health are urgently needed,” said Joseph, co-lead of the clinical trial.
“Psychosocial stress is a potent but understudied regulator of cardiovascular function,” said Nolan, co-principal investigator. “It exists for all, but it is well documented that Black men may face disproportionate stressors from situations such as work, major life events, lack of social support or basic resources, living in isolation, being subjected to systemic racism and discrimination and environmental exposures.”
“Unlocking the role of the immune system and the gut microbiome in stress-associated cardiovascular risk has the potential to improve the lives and well-being of countless Americans,” said Shannon L. Gillespie, PhD, assistant professor of nursing, who is a co-investigator and expert on psychosocial stress and psychoneuroendocrinology.
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