Metabolomic profiles of obesity and subgingival microbiome in periodontally healthy individuals: A cross‐sectional study
Ahmed Khocht, Bruce Paster, Leticia Lenoir, Crissy Irani, Gary Fraser- Periodontics
Abstract
Aim
Since blood metabolomic profiles of obese individuals are known to be altered, our objective was to examine the association between obesity‐related metabolic patterns and subgingival microbial compositions in obese and non‐obese periodontally healthy individuals.
Materials and Methods
Thirty‐nine periodontally healthy subjects were enrolled. Based on body mass index scores, 20 subjects were categorized as lean and 19 as obese. A comprehensive periodontal examination was performed. Subgingival plaque and blood samples were collected. Plaque samples were analysed for bacteria using 16S rDNA sequencing. Untargeted metabolomic profiling (mass spectrometry) was used to quantify metabolites in serum.
Results
Obese subjects were statistically associated with several periodontopathic taxa including Dialister invisus, Prevotella intermedia, Prevotella denticola, Fusobacterium nucleatum_subsp.vincentii, Mogibacterium diversum, Parvimonas micra and Shuttleworthia satelles. In obese individuals, an amino acid‐related metabolic pattern was elevated; however, there was a decrease in metabolic patterns related to lipids and cofactor/vitamins. These metabolic perturbations were associated with multiple subgingival bacterial species that differentiated lean from obese individuals.
Conclusions
Obesity‐related perturbations in circulating blood metabolites are associated with the development of periodontopathic bacterial colonization in the subgingival microbiome and consequently may increase the risk for periodontal disease in obese individuals.