Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Metabolic dysfunction is a fundamental core mechanism underlying CVDs. Previous studies generally focused on the roles of long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) in CVDs. However, a growing body of study has implied that short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs: namely propionate, malonate, butyrate, 2-hydroxyisobutyrate (2-HIBA), β-hydroxybutyrate, crotonate, succinate, and glutarate) and their cognate acylations (propionylation, malonylation, butyrylation, 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation, β-hydroxybutyrylation, crotonylation, succinylation, and glutarylation) participate in CVDs. Here, we attempt to provide an overview landscape of the metabolic pattern of SCFAs in CVDs. Especially, we would focus on the SCFAs and newly identified acylations and their roles in CVDs, including atherosclerosis, hypertension, and heart failure. Clinical Science (2020) 134 657-676 https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20200128 cofactors in certain protein acylations, such as propionylation [14], malonylation [15], butyrylation [14], 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation [16], β-hydroxybutyrylation [17], crotonylation [18], succinylation [19], and glutarylation [20]. These discoveries give us a deeper understanding of PTM. Among PTMs, protein acetylation is the earliest discovered and most studied. Similar to protein acetylation, various studies have shown that these newly discovered PTMs are also involved in physiological and pathophysiological processes, including cardiovascular homeostasis.Here in this review, we will summarize SCFAs, protein acylations, and their emerging roles in CVDs, including atherosclerosis, hypertension, and heart failure.
The metabolic pattern and FAs in CVDsThe heart is an 'omnivore' , using FAs, glucose, lactate, ketone bodies, and amino acids as metabolic substrates [5,6]. The substrates utilized by the embryonic heart are significantly different from those used by the adult heart. The embryonic heart depends primarily on glycolysis as well as lactate oxidation to produce energy [21]. The newborn and adult heart shift toward the remarkable utilization of FAs to meet cardiac energy demand [5,9]. In failing hearts, a decrease in FA oxidation and an increase in glycolysis are critically involved in cardiac dysfunction [22]. As thus, the metabolic pattern is essential for maintaining cardiac and vascular functions.Diabetes, hypertension, and obesity contribute to heart failure syndrome. Accumulating evidence suggests that hypertension, ischemic hearts, and heart failure induce a shift in substrate toward the remarkable utilization of glucose to generate energy. Despite this shift, the FA oxidation remains to make much energy for the diseased heart [23]. Since FAs are the predominant substrates for cardiomyocytes, alterations in FA metabolism have been implicated as causal in cardiac diseases. FAs within cells and in the circulation are critically involved in cardiometabolic diseases. CVDs are closely associated with lifestyle and metabolic status, which affect circul...