The Oral Microbiota Is Modified by Systemic Diseases.

Area of Science:

• Oral microbiology
• Periodontology
• Immunology

Background:

• Periodontal diseases stem from oral bacteria in biofilms, affecting gum tissue.
• Systemic conditions like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) heighten susceptibility to severe periodontal disease.
• These systemic diseases are linked to reduced beneficial oral bacteria and increased harmful bacteria.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of systemic diseases on the oral microbiome.
• To explore the role of inflammation and Interleukin-17 (IL-17) in mediating these changes.
• To understand how systemic inflammation influences periodontal disease severity.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of oral microbiota composition in patients with diabetes, RA, and SLE.
• Animal models to assess the pathogenicity of the oral microbiome under diabetic conditions.
• Investigating the effect of IL-17 inhibition on microbial pathogenicity in diabetic models.
• Observing the impact of anti-inflammatory treatments on oral dysbiosis in RA patients.

Main Results:

• Systemic diseases alter oral bacterial taxa, decreasing health-associated species and increasing disease-associated ones.
• Diabetes, RA, and SLE are associated with specific shifts in oral bacterial populations.
• In diabetic models, enhanced oral microbiome pathogenicity (inflammation, bone loss) was observed, which was reversed by IL-17 inhibition.
• Increased IL-17 levels are implicated in oral microbial changes across SLE, RA, and other inflammatory conditions.
• Anti-inflammatory treatment for RA partially restored oral microbial balance.

Conclusions:

• Systemic diseases characterized by inflammation significantly disrupt the oral microbiota.
• Interleukin-17 (IL-17) emerges as a critical mediator in the link between systemic inflammation and oral microbial dysbiosis.
• Targeting IL-17 may offer therapeutic potential for managing periodontitis in patients with systemic inflammatory conditions.