Subgingival microbiota dysbiosis in systemic lupus erythematosus: association with periodontal status.
Periodontitis results from the interaction between a subgingival biofilm and host immune response. Changes in biofilm composition are thought to disrupt homeostasis between the host and subgingival bacteria resulting in periodontal damage. Chronic systemic inflammatory disorders have been shown to affect the subgingival microbiota and clinical periodontal status. However, this relationship has not been examined in subjects with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The objective of our study was to investigate the influence of SLE on the subgingival microbiota and its connection with periodontal disease and SLE activity.



We evaluated 52 patients with SLE compared to 52 subjects without SLE (control group). Subjects were classified as without periodontitis and with periodontitis. Oral microbiota composition was assessed by amplifying the V4 region of 16S rRNA gene from subgingival dental plaque DNA extracts. These amplicons were examined by Illumina MiSeq sequencing.



SLE patients exhibited higher prevalence of periodontitis which occurred at a younger age compared to subjects of the control group. More severe forms of periodontitis were found in SLE subjects that had higher bacterial loads and decreased microbial diversity. Bacterial species frequently detected in periodontal disease were observed in higher proportions in SLE patients, even in periodontal healthy sites such as Fretibacterium, Prevotella nigrescens, and Selenomonas. Changes in the oral microbiota were linked to increased local inflammation, as demonstrated by higher concentrations of IL-6, IL-17, and IL-33 in SLE patients with periodontitis.



SLE is associated with differences in the composition of the microbiota, independently of periodontal status.
Faculty of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Jôice Dias
JD
Corrêa
University Hospital, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Débora Cerqueira
DC
Calderaro
University Hospital, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Gilda Aparecida
GA
Ferreira
Faculty of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Santuza Maria Souza
SM
Mendonça
René Rachou Research Center, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Gabriel R
GR
Fernandes
Penn Dental School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
E
E
Xiao
University Hospital, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Antônio Lúcio
AL
Teixeira
College of Dentistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
Eugene J
EJ
Leys
Penn Dental School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Dana T
DT
Graves
Faculty of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. silva.tarcilia@gmail.com.|Departamento de Patologia e Cirurgia Odontológica, Faculdade de Odontologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627, CEP 31.270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. silva.tarcilia@gmail.com.
Tarcília Aparecida
TA
Silva
D000328:Adult; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001439:Bacteroides / Q000235:genetics; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D064806:Dysbiosis; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000382:microbiology*; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; D006801:Humans; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000067596:Interleukin-33 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D064307:Microbiota / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
C508717:IL17A protein, human; C506536:IL33 protein, human; D020381:Interleukin-17; D000067596:Interleukin-33; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
Cytokine; Illumina sequencing; Lupus; Oral microbiota; Periodontitis; Subgingival dental plaque