title: Microbial composition of atherosclerotic plaques.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The association of infections such as periodontitis with atherosclerotic diseases is well documented. In spite of the high diversity of the human oral microbiota, and its close contact with the circulatory system, few oral species were detected in atherosclerotic plaques. Thus, we attempted to evaluate the microbial diversity of atherosclerotic plaques from patients with different periodontal conditions, submitted to endarterectomy by a broad-range microbial method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients indicated for aorta endarterectomy due to myocardial infarction were recruited for periodontal clinical examination. The microbial diversity of atherosclerotic plaques (n = 35) was evaluated by sequence analysis of bacterial 16S rRNA libraries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bacterial DNA was detected in 12 endarterectomy specimens (34.3%). Twenty-three bacterial species/phylotypes were identified. Proteobacteria and Firmicutes comprised 78.3% and 21.7% of the identified taxa, respectively. Fifteen (60.9%) phylotypes were reported as yet uncultivable or as yet uncharacterized species. Two uncultured phylotypes were previously detected in the human mouth. The periodontopathogen Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans was detected in seven samples (20%), followed by Pseudomonas species. There was no association between periodontal parameters and detection of A. actinomycetemcomitans or other phylotypes in atherosclerotic plaques.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest a role of the oral microbiota in the development of inflammation in atherogenesis, particularly of A. actinomycetemcomitans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Department of Periodontology, São Leopoldo Mandic University, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Calandrini
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Gonnelli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ota-Tsuzuki
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Rangel
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saba-Chujfi
authors.forename: M P A
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Mayer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology*; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology*; D012329:RNA, Bacterial
chemical_list: D012329:RNA, Bacterial
keywords: 16S rRNA; atherosclerosis; microbial diversity; periodontal disease