Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
9.1
5.0
Journals
Nutrients
Special Issues
Molecular Mechanisms of Diet-Associated Cardiac Metabolism
nutrients-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Nutrients Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Molecular Mechanisms of Diet-Associated Cardiac Metabolism

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 June 2026 | Viewed by 1830

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Michelangela Barbieri

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80138 Naples, Italy
Interests: metabolism; cognitive impairment; cardiovascular disease; epigenetics; diabetes; sarcopenia and obesity
Dr. Jacopo Sabbatinelli

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, DISCLIMO, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy
Interests: inflammaging; cellular senescence; endothelial dysfunction; type 2 diabetes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to explore the intricate molecular pathways through which diet influences cardiac metabolism and function. With cardiovascular diseases remaining a leading cause of global mortality, understanding how specific nutrients and dietary patterns impact the heart at the molecular level is essential for developing targeted prevention and treatment strategies.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

  • Mechanistic studies on how macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals) affect cardiac metabolism.
  • The role of dietary interventions (e.g., Mediterranean diet, ketogenic diet, caloric restriction) in modulating cardiac metabolic pathways and outcomes.
  • Molecular signaling pathways (e.g., nutrient sensing, mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, inflammation) affected by diet in cardiac tissue.
  • Impact of nutrient-derived metabolites and gut microbiota on cardiac metabolism and function.
  • Epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-translational modifications in cardiac cells induced by dietary factors.
  • Inter-organ and intercellular communication (e.g., adipose-cardiac axis, liver-heart crosstalk) in response to dietary changes.
  • Identification and characterization of novel molecular targets for dietary prevention or treatment of cardiac metabolic disorders.
  • Translational and clinical studies linking dietary patterns and molecular cardiac outcomes, including biomarker discovery.

Prof. Dr. Michelangela Barbieri
Guest Editor

Dr. Jacopo Sabbatinelli
Co-Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cardiac metabolism
  • nutritional regulation
  • molecular mechanisms
  • cardiovascular disease
  • diet and heart health
  • mitochondrial function
  • oxidative stress
  • nutrient–gene interactions

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Review

19 pages, 1224 KB  
Review
Dietary Nutrients, Gut Microbiota, and Cardiac Function: From Metabolic Mechanisms to Clinical Applications
by Lucia Scisciola, Manuela Giovanna Basilicata, Marta Belmonte, Ada Pesapane, Rosaria Anna Fontanella, Nunzia Balzano, Alberta Maria Maddalena Palazzo, Rashmi Joshi, Asad Zia, Giovanni Tortorella, Zeeshan Ulfat, Maryam Arshad and Giuseppe Paolisso
Nutrients 2026, 18(3), 467; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18030467 - 31 Jan 2026
Viewed by 91
Abstract
Background: The heart depends on a continuous and flexible energy supply from fatty acids, glucose, and other substrates. Emerging evidence shows that gut microbiota-derived metabolites—such as trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), secondary bile acids, indoles, phenylacetylglutamine (PAGln), and branched-chain amino acids—modulate cardiac [...] Read more.
Background: The heart depends on a continuous and flexible energy supply from fatty acids, glucose, and other substrates. Emerging evidence shows that gut microbiota-derived metabolites—such as trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), secondary bile acids, indoles, phenylacetylglutamine (PAGln), and branched-chain amino acids—modulate cardiac metabolism and function. Although clinical evidence linking these metabolites to cardiovascular outcomes is expanding, most data remain associative, with limited causal or interventional proof. Methods: A comprehensive narrative review was conducted (PubMed 2010–2025) to integrate preclinical, clinical, and Mendelian randomization studies on microbiota-derived metabolites and cardiovascular disease, complemented by evidence from dietary and interventional trials. Results: Gut-derived metabolites regulate mitochondrial energetics, inflammatory, immune system, and oxidative pathways, and endothelial and platelet activation. Elevated plasma TMAO and PAGln levels are often associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes, while SCFAs and indole derivatives may related to protective effects. However, findings across cohorts remain heterogeneous, largely due to differences in diet, renal function, and analytical methods. Dietary patterns rich in fiber and plant-based nutrients favor beneficial metabolite profiles, underscoring the nutritional modulation of the gut–heart axis. Conclusions: The diet–microbiota–metabolite axis represents an emerging pathway connecting nutrition to cardiovascular health. Translating this knowledge into prevention and therapy will require large-scale randomized studies and integrated multi-omics approaches. Dietary modulation of microbial metabolism may ultimately become a novel strategy for cardiometabolic protection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Diet-Associated Cardiac Metabolism)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 621 KB  
Review
The First 1000 Days: Maternal Nutrient Intake—A Window of Opportunity for Pulmonary Hypertension—A Narrative Review
by Alina-Costina Luca, Solange Tamara Roșu, Cosmin Diaconescu, Dana Elena Mîndru, Cristina Gavrilovici, Adriana Vizireanu, Viorel Țarcă, Eduard Vasile Roșu and Elena Țarcă
Nutrients 2026, 18(3), 424; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18030424 - 27 Jan 2026
Viewed by 176
Abstract
The first 1000 days of life, starting from conception to a child’s second birthday, constitute a pivotal period for fetal lung and pulmonary vascular development. Maternal nutrition during this period plays an important role in fetal growth, immune programming and organ development, including [...] Read more.
The first 1000 days of life, starting from conception to a child’s second birthday, constitute a pivotal period for fetal lung and pulmonary vascular development. Maternal nutrition during this period plays an important role in fetal growth, immune programming and organ development, including that of the pulmonary system. This narrative review consolidates evidence linking maternal nutrition and early-life nutrient intake during this period with the development of pulmonary hypertension in the newborn. We examine the influence of both nutrient deficiencies and excesses on fetal lung and vascular development. We performed a structured search of PubMed and Embase (conducted from February 2025 to March 2025) and screened reference lists. Twenty-eight peer-reviewed studies were included, comprising human clinical and observational evidence and studies on animal models. The findings suggest that imbalances in maternal diet can disrupt placental function, induce inflammation, and trigger epigenetic alterations, all contributing to pulmonary vascular dysfunction and increased pulmonary hypertension susceptibility in neonates. Notably, maternal undernutrition and thiamine deficiency during lactation have been directly linked to pulmonary hypertension in infants. Conversely, high-fat diets and excessive polyphenol intake have been associated with adverse fetal cardiovascular remodeling. While current evidence is primarily derived from animal models and observational studies, it highlights the urgent need for targeted nutritional strategies and clinical trials during pregnancy. Although human causality is unproven for most exposures, studying maternal nutrition in the first 1000 days could offer a cost-effective method for reducing the burden of pediatric pulmonary hypertension and its long-term consequences and for prospective trials aimed at preventing early-life pulmonary vascular disease. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Diet-Associated Cardiac Metabolism)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

30 pages, 2720 KB  
Review
Nutritional Regulation of Cardiac Metabolism and Function: Molecular and Epigenetic Mechanisms and Their Role in Cardiovascular Disease Prevention
by Lucia Capasso, Donato Mele, Rosaria Casalino, Gregorio Favale, Giulia Rollo, Giulia Verrilli, Mariarosaria Conte, Paola Bontempo, Vincenzo Carafa, Lucia Altucci and Angela Nebbioso
Nutrients 2026, 18(1), 93; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18010093 - 27 Dec 2025
Viewed by 785
Abstract
Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of mortality worldwide and are strongly influenced by dietary habits. Beyond caloric intake, nutrients act as molecular signals that regulate cardiac metabolism, mitochondrial function, inflammation, and epigenetic remodeling. Objectives: This review aims to synthesize [...] Read more.
Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of mortality worldwide and are strongly influenced by dietary habits. Beyond caloric intake, nutrients act as molecular signals that regulate cardiac metabolism, mitochondrial function, inflammation, and epigenetic remodeling. Objectives: This review aims to synthesize current evidence on how dietary patterns and specific nutritional interventions regulate cardiac metabolism and function through interconnected molecular and epigenetic mechanisms, highlighting their relevance for cardiovascular disease prevention. Methods: A narrative review of the literature was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, focusing on studies published between 2006 and 2025. Experimental, translational, and clinical studies addressing diet-induced modulation of cardiac metabolic pathways, oxidative and inflammatory signaling, epigenetic regulation, and gut microbiota-derived metabolites were included. Results: The analyzed literature consistently shows that unbalanced diets rich in saturated fats and refined carbohydrates impair cardiac metabolic flexibility by disrupting key nutrient-sensing pathways, including AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and sirtuin 1/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (SIRT1/PGC-1α), leading to mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and maladaptive remodeling. In contrast, cardioprotective dietary patterns, such as caloric restriction (CR), intermittent fasting (IF), and Mediterranean and plant-based diets, enhance mitochondrial efficiency, redox balance, and metabolic adaptability. These effects are mediated by coordinated activation of AMPK-SIRT1 signaling, suppression of mTOR over-activation, modulation of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathways, and favorable epigenetic remodeling involving DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs. Emerging evidence also highlights the central role of gut microbiota-derived metabolites, particularly short-chain fatty acids, in linking diet to epigenetic and metabolic regulation of cardiac function. Conclusions: Diet quality emerges as a key determinant of cardiac metabolic health, acting through integrated molecular, epigenetic, and microbiota-mediated mechanisms. Targeted nutritional strategies can induce long-lasting cardioprotective metabolic and epigenetic adaptations, supporting the concept of diet as a modifiable molecular intervention. These findings provide a mechanistic rationale for integrating personalized nutrition into cardiovascular prevention and precision cardiology, complementing standard pharmacological therapies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Diet-Associated Cardiac Metabolism)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop