trimethylamine

^[1]^[2]

Pathology

proatherogenic molecule generated from dietary components by gut bacteria^[1]^[2]
gut bacteria convert dietary carnitine & phosphatidylcholine (lecithin) to trimethylamine-N-oxide that is absorbed
trimethylamine is converted to trimethylamine-N-oxide by the liver & appears in plasma

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Tang WHW et al. Intestinal microbial metabolism of phosphatidylcholine and cardiovascular risk. N Engl J Med 2013 Apr 25; 368:1575 <PubMed> PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23614584 <Internet> http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1109400
Loscalzo J. Gut microbiota, the genome, and diet in atherogenesis. N Engl J Med 2013 Apr 25; 368:1647. <PubMed> PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23614591 <Internet> http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe1302154
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Wang Z, Roberts AB, Buffa JA et al. Non-lethal inhibition of gut microbial trimethylamine production for the treatment of atherosclerosis. Cell 2015 Dec 17; 163:1585 PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26687352