Fig. 1: Overview of study design and main findings. | Nature Communications

Fig. 1: Overview of study design and main findings.

From: Evidence of a causal and modifiable relationship between kidney function and circulating trimethylamine N-oxide

Fig. 1

Here we used an integrated approach comprising Machine Learning (ML), multivariate, univariate, and mediation analyses to objectively characterize host parameters contributing to plasma TMAO levels in the multicenter European MetaCardis study. We observed that kidney function is the main modifiable factor consistently regulating fasting serum TMAO levels (Figs. 2–4) and corroborated our epidemiological findings in preclinical models where TMAO increased kidney scarring (Fig. 5). Further supporting the strong interplay between kidney function and fasting circulating TMAO, patients with T2D in the cohort prescribed new-generation anti-diabetics (GLP-1 Receptor Agonists; GLP-1RAs) with reno-protective effects had lower serum circulating TMAO levels when compared to propensity-score matched controls (Fig. 6). Created with BioRender.com.

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