Association between oral microbiome alpha and beta diversity and MASLD risk: a large-scale, population-based...

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most common chronic liver disease globally, yet its pathogenesis remains incompletely understood. The "oral-gut-liver axis" hypothesis suggests that oral microbiota may influence liver metabolism through direct or indirect pathways; however, large-scale population-based evidence is still limited.

Data from the 2009 to 2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) included 2,759 U.S. adults aged ≥ 20 years. MASLD was defined using a U.S. Fatty Liver Index score ≥ 30. Oral rinse samples were sequenced targeting the 16S rRNA V4 region to evaluate alpha diversity (Observed OTUs, Faith's Phylogenetic Diversity, Shannon-Wiener Index, and Inverse Simpson Index) and beta diversity (Bray-Curtis dissimilarity and UniFrac distance). Survey-weighted multivariable logistic regression models with sequential adjustment for demographic, lifestyle, and clinical metabolic covariates evaluated the association between oral microbial diversity and MASLD. Analyses were stratified by body mass index and smoking status.

The final analysis included 2,759 adults, of whom 183 individuals had MASLD. Oral microbial richness and diversity were significantly lower in individuals with MASLD. Multivariable analyses demonstrated a strong inverse association between oral microbial diversity and MASLD risk: Each increase in diversity was associated with a substantially reduced likelihood of MASLD. A clear dose-response relationship was observed, with individuals in the highest bacterial diversity group having a 65% lower risk than those in the lowest group. This association remained significant after adjusting for age, body weight, and diabetes. Stratified analysis revealed that the association was consistent across different body weight groups but was modified by smoking status. Finally, we identified that the overall makeup of the bacterial communities in the mouth was distinctly different between individuals with and without MASLD.

This study demonstrates the association between oral bacteria and liver disorders. We found that lower diversity of oral microbes is independently correlated with a higher risk of disease, even after accounting for factors such as weight and blood sugar. The protective role of a diverse oral microbiome can be reduced by smoking and increased body weight. These findings establish the oral microbiome as a new and independent factor in liver health.