Microbial Diversity Similarities in Periodontal Pockets and Atheromatous Plaques of Cardiovascular Disease Patients

<div><p>Background and Objective</p><p>The immune and infectious alterations occurring in periodontitis have been shown to alter the development and severity of cardiovascular disease. One of these relationships is the translocation of oral bacteria to atheroma plaques, thereby promoting plaque development. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess, by 16s cloning and sequencing, the microbial diversity of the subgingival environment and atheroma plaques of patients concomitantly suffering from periodontitis and obstructive coronary artery atherosclerosis (OCAA).</p><p>Methods</p><p>Subgingival biofilm and coronary balloons used in percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty were collected from 18 subjects presenting with generalized moderate to severe periodontitis and OCAA. DNA was extracted and the gene 16S was amplified, cloned and sequenced.</p><p>Results</p><p>Significant differences in microbial diversity were observed between both environments. While subgingival samples mostly contained the phylum <i>Firmicutes</i>, in coronary balloons, <i>Proteobacteria</i> (p<0.05) was predominant. In addition, the most commonly detected genera in coronary balloons were <i>Acinetobacter, Alloprevotella, Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, Sphingomonas</i> and <i>Moraxella</i>, while in subgingival samples <i>Porphyromonas, Filifactor, Veillonella, Aggregatibacter</i> and <i>Treponema</i> (p<0.05) were found. Interestingly, 17 identical phylotypes were found in atheroma and subgingival samples, indicating possible bacterial translocation between periodontal pockets and coronary arteries.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Periodontal pockets and atheromatous plaques of cardiovascular disease patients can present similarities in the microbial diversity.</p></div

Top-15 phylotypes (mean of x value±sd and % of positive subjects) detected in periodontal pocket and Coronary balloon.

<p>Top-15 phylotypes (mean of x value±sd and % of positive subjects) detected in periodontal pocket and Coronary balloon.</p

Demographic data of population.

<p><i>SD- Standard deviation;</i></p><p><i>*HbA1c<7%;</i></p>#<p><i>Arterial Pressure >140/80 mmHg;</i></p><p>Demographic data of population.</p

Phylotypes detected in the subgingival biofilm of periodontal pockets (right) and coronary balloons (left).

<p>The phylotypes in the center are those detected in both samples within the same individual.</p

Distribution (%total clones and number of common phylotypes) regarding Phylo and Culture Status (%) in periodontal pocket and Coronary balloon.

<p><i>*indicate statistically difference (Chi-square test, p<0.05).</i></p><p>Distribution (%total clones and number of common phylotypes) regarding Phylo and Culture Status (%) in periodontal pocket and Coronary balloon.</p

Distribution of clones (% clones) by genus in periodontal pocket and coronary balloon samples.

<p><i>*indicate statistically significant difference between periodontal pocket and coronary balloon (Chi-square test, p<0.05)</i>.</p