THE ESSENTIAL
- In adults affected by multiple sclerosis, a reduced abundance of several “early colonizer” species, including Streptococcus and Actinomyces, is observed in the mouth.
- An increase in potentially pathogenic bacteria, such as Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis and several species of Prevotella, is noted in patients.
- Since saliva sampling is simple and non-invasive, the oral microbiota could become a valuable biomarker for monitoring disease activity or response to treatment.
“While the gut microbiota has long been associated with multiple sclerosis (MS), the oral microbiota, the rich microbial ecosystem of our mouth, has received much less attention, even though it is the second most diverse microbiome in the human body and has been associated with other neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, and inflammatory diseases, such as polyarthritis. rheumatoid”, reported Ashutosh Mangalam, professor at the University of Iowa (United States).
Disturbed oral microbiota: fewer good bacteria and more pathogens in MS
In a recent study, the researcher and her team wanted to determine the role of the oral microbiota in people suffering from relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, the most widespread form of this autoimmune pathology which affects the central nervous system. To carry out the research, they used injection metagenomic sequencing and untargeted metabolomics. The objective? Examine how changes in the entire oral bacterial community and the small molecules (metabolites) produced by these organisms might influence disease. During the procedure, the team analyzed the saliva of 50 patients and 50 healthy adults.
Unlike healthy people, those suffering from multiple sclerosis had a disrupted oral microbiota. This imbalance resulted in a loss of beneficial “early colonizers” bacteria, such as Streptococcus and Actinomyces (building blocks of a healthy oral community) and an increase in potentially pathogenic bacteria, such as Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis and several species of Prevotella. Another observation: the patients presented an altered metabolic profile. In detail, they had reduced levels of hypotaurine, a protective metabolite involved in antioxidant defense and nerve health. According to scientists, oral microbial and metabolic changes may contribute to inflammation and disease processes in MS.
“Potential diagnostic biomarkers”
These results, published in the journal npj Biofilms and Microbiomes, “offer potential microbiota- and metabolism-based diagnostic biomarkers for MS and pave the way for novel therapeutic interventions aimed at improving disease management and treatment outcomes,” specified the authors, emphasizing that the oral microbiota is easier to access and manipulate than the intestinal microbiome.
