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. 2023 Oct 12;24(20):15123.
doi: 10.3390/ijms242015123.

Obesity Is Associated with the Severity of Periodontal Inflammation Due to a Specific Signature of Subgingival Microbiota

Sylvie Lê  1   2   3 , Sara Laurencin-Dalicieux  1   2   4 , Matthieu Minty  1   2   3 , Justine Assoulant-Anduze  3 , Alexia Vinel  1   2   5 , Noor Yanat  1   2 , Pascale Loubieres  1   3 , Vincent Azalbert  3 , Swann Diemer  3 , Remy Burcelin  3 , Thibault Canceill  1   2   3 , Charlotte Thomas  1   2   3 , Vincent Blasco-Baque  1   2   3
Affiliations

Obesity Is Associated with the Severity of Periodontal Inflammation Due to a Specific Signature of Subgingival Microbiota

Sylvie Lê et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the link between periodontal microbiota and obesity in humans. We conducted a cohort study including 45 subjects with periodontitis divided into two groups: normo-weighted subjects with a body mass index (BMI) between 20 and 25 kg/m2 (n = 34) and obese subjects with a BMI > 30 kg/m2 (n = 11). Our results showed that obesity was associated with significantly more severe gingival inflammation according to Periodontal Inflamed Surface Area (PISA index). Periodontal microbiota taxonomic analysis showed that the obese (OB) subjects with periodontitis were characterized by a specific signature of subgingival microbiota with an increase in Gram-positive bacteria in periodontal pockets, associated with a decrease in microbiota diversity compared to that of normo-weighted subjects with periodontitis. Finally, periodontal treatment response was less effective in OB subjects with persisting periodontal inflammation, reflecting a still unstable periodontal condition and a risk of recurrence. To our knowledge, this study is the first exploring both salivary and subgingival microbiota of OB subjects. Considering that OB subjects are at higher periodontal risk, this could lead to more personalized preventive or therapeutic strategies for obese patients regarding periodontitis through the specific management of oral microbiota of obese patients.

Keywords: PISA; obesity; oral microbiota; periodontal inflammation; periodontal treatment response; periodontitis; subgingival microbiota.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interest and no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Comparison of periodontal microbiota between obese subjects (OB; n = 11) and normo-weighted subjects (NW; n = 34). (A,B) Principal Component Analysis (PCA) between oral clinical parameters and Periodontal Simpson Index (alpha diversity) with their contribution for each dimension. (C) Pearson’s correlation analysis between PISA index and Periodontal Simpson Index. (D) Unifrac index representation of the beta diversity. (E) Relative abundance (%) for taxonomic family, identified with significant differences in periodontal microbiota between obese and normo-weighted subjects. Data as mean ± SD, * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, unpaired Mann–Whitney test. (F) Volcano plot analysis identifying significant changes in bacterial abundance according to increasing BMI. (G) Volcano plot analysis identifying significant changes in bacterial abundance according to increasing PISA index.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Comparison of periodontal and saliva microbiota in obese subjects (OB; n = 11) and normo-weighted subjects (NW; n = 34). (A,B). Relative abundance (%) for taxonomic family, identified with significant differences in periodontal and saliva microbiota in normo-weighted subjects (NW). (C,D) Relative abundance (%) for taxonomic family, identified with significant differences in periodontal and saliva microbiota in obese subjects (OB). (E) Proportion of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in each group. (F) Unifrac index representation of the beta diversity. Data as mean ± SD, * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, **** p < 0.0001, unpaired Mann–Whitney test.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Comparison of PISA index before and after periodontal treatment between obese and normo-weighted subjects [27].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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