Characteristics of the Health-Associated Oral Microbiome in Young Nonhuman Primates

Nonhuman primates have been shown to develop periodontitis with clinical and demographic features similar to humans. This preclinical disease model is well-positioned to advance the elucidation of novel biologic-based preventive and therapeutic approaches to controlling periodontitis, a chronic infection and immunoinflammatory disease. In this analysis, the oral microbiomes of younger (10-19 human years; n = 30) nonhuman primates are compared for matriline (an indicator of heritability), sex, and age variations. A holistic assessment of the microbiome similarities/differences suggested two primary conclusions in this younger group of orally healthy nonhuman primates. First, at the microbiome level of phyla, orders, and families, the ecology was relatively similar across sexes, matrilines, and age groups. However, at the genus level, matriline, sex, or age differences were observed. Of interest was that the principal differential genus proportions with matriline and age were similar, but somewhat unique with the sex comparison. These genus differences encompassed microorganisms generally considered as human commensals, albeit Fusobacterium, Tannerella, and Treponema genera did show some variation. The second, broader observation was the rather extensive species variation across these nonhuman primates. Nevertheless, the data could define a "core microbial species" pattern that included species across the Actinobiota, Bacteroidota, Desulfobacterota, Firmicutes/Bacillota, Fusobacteriota, Proteobacteriota, and Spirochaetota phyla. The results provide seminal details of the oral microbiome in this disease model and underpin the ability to elucidate specific microbial changes that can occur related to early-life oral environmental stimuli that may presage a greater risk for periodontitis in adulthood.