Identification of Periopathogens in Atheromatous Plaques Obtained from Carotid and Coronary Arteries

Abstract

Increasing attention has been paid to the possible link between periodontal disease and atherosclerosis over the past decade. The aim of this study is to investigate the presence of five periopathogens: Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g.), Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A.a.), Tannerella forsythia (T.f.), Treponema denticola (T.d.), and Prevotella intermedia (P.i.) in atheromatous plaques obtained from the carotid and coronary arteries in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery and carotid endarterectomy. Group I (carotid arteries) consisted of 30 patients (mean age: 54.5 ± 14.8 ), and group II (coronary arteries) consisted of 28 patients (mean age: 63 ± 12.1 ). Clinical periodontal examinations consisted of plaque index, gingival index, sulcus bleeding index, and periodontal probing depth and were performed on the day of vascular surgery. The presence of periopathogens in periodontal pockets and atherosclerotic vessels was detected using polymerase chain reaction. In both subgingival plaque and atherosclerotic plaque of carotid arteries, P.g., A.a., T.f., T.d., and P.i. were detected in 26.7%, 6.7%, 66.7%, 10.0%, and 20.0%, respectively, while for coronary arteries, P.g. was detected in 39.3%, A.a. in 25%, T.f. in 46.4%, T.d. in 7.1%, and P.i. in 35.7%. The presence of five periopathogens in carotid and coronary atherosclerotic vessels showed correlation in regard to the degree of periodontal inflammation. The present study suggests the relationship between periodontal pathogenic bacteria and atherogenesis. Further studies are necessary in relation to the prevention or treatment of periodontal disease that would result in reduced mortality and morbidity associated with atherosclerosis.

Role of Interleukin-17A in the Pathomechanisms of Periodontitis and Related Systemic Chronic Inflammatory Diseases

“…Pavlic et al. detected periodontitis pathogens in carotid and coronary atherosclerotic plaques, including Tannerella forsythia , Porphyromonas gingivalis , Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Prevotella intermedia , suggesting that periodontitis pathogens can directly enter the atherosclerosis lesion area and may participate in the plaque formation process ( 126 ). Besides, Porphyromonas gingivalis can promote the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to oxidized LDL which causes the formation of atherosclerosis ( 127 ), and periodontal treatment can reduce oxidized LDL in plasma ( 128 ).…”

Eubacterium rectale Attenuates HSV-1 Induced Systemic Inflammation in Mice by Inhibiting CD83

“…Prevotella expansion was also observed in the ileum of intestinal inflamed mice ( 55 ). Prevotella strain P. intermedia was one of the periopathogens with an association between periodontal pathogenicity and atheromatous plaques ( 56 ). Prevotella appears to contribute to the generation of inflammation in various diseases.…”

Oral and Gut Microbial Dysbiosis and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: The Central Role of Porphyromonas gingivalis

“…In addition, recent oral microbiome analysis shows that not only some pathogenic bacteria induce local disease, but also an abnormal bacterial biota (dysbiosis), in which the oral biota is disturbed by the growth of certain keystone species, may be the cause of various oral diseases (35). In addition, many studies have reported that dysbiosis of the oral bacteria is associated with many systemic diseases, such as aspiration pneumonia, bacterial endocarditis, preterm birth, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and atherosclerosis (36)(37)(38). Oral streptococci, including Streptococcus anginosus and S. intermedius, which are gram-positive facultative anaerobic cocci, and Prevotella, Fusobacterium, and Bacteroides, which are gramnegative obligate anaerobic cocci, are listed as the causative bacteria of aspiration pneumonia (39).…”