Influence of Oral Microbiota on the Presence of IgA Anti-Citrullinated Protein Antibodies in Gingival Crevicular Fluid

Abstract

IntroductionThe relation between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and periodontitis (PD) has been investigated ever since the discovery of the citrullinating enzyme peptidyl arginine deaminase presents in the oral bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis. Recently, we demonstrated the presence of RA autoantibodies, especially of IgA anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA), in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of Indonesian patients with and without RA or PD which might indicate the local formation of RA antibodies in the periodontium.AimThe purpose of this study was to assess whether the subgingival microbiome is related to the presence of IgA ACPA in the GCF of healthy individuals with or without PD.Patients and MethodsHealthy individuals with a known periodontal status and high IgA ACPA (>0.1 U/ml) in GCF (n = 27) were selected and matched for age, gender, periodontal status, and smoking status with 27 healthy individuals without IgA ACPA in their GCF. Taxonomic profiling of the subgingival microbiome was based on bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Downstream analyses were performed to assess compositional differences between healthy subjects with or without IgA ACPA in GCF and with or without PD.ResultsBetween groups with or without PD, or with or without IgA ACPA in GCF, no differences in alpha diversity were seen. Beta diversity was different between groups with or without PD (p < 0.0001), and a trend was seen in subjects with PD between subjects with or without IgA ACPA in GCF (p = 0.084). Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) revealed no significant differences in the total population between subjects with IgA ACPA compared to subjects without IgA ACPA in GCF. Although Porphyromonas was not identified by LEfSe, its relative abundance was significantly higher in healthy individuals with high IgA ACPA in GCF compared to individuals without IgA ACPA in GCF (p = 0.0363). Zooming in on the subgroup with PD, LEfSe revealed that species Neisseriaceae, Tannerella, and Haemophilus were more abundant in the subjects with IgA ACPA in GCF compared to subjects without IgA ACPA in GCF.ConclusionPeriodontitis and certain taxa, including Porphyromonas, seem to be associated with the local presence of ACPA in the periodontium.

Periodontal disease and its association to endothelial dysfunction and clinical changes in limited systemic sclerosis: A case–control study

“…Additionally, as the contributing factors of periodontal disease in SSc are generally yet unknown, it may be possible that inflammatory processes may be more relevant for periodontal disease in lcSSc than alterations of endothelial dysfunction, as some studies reported changes of different cytokines correlating to periodontal disease in SSc patients 42,46 . Further mechanisms, which were yet investigated to the best of our knowledge only in other autoimmune diseases than in SSc, may also contribute to periodontal disease in SSc, including the presence of gingival autoantibodies, dysbalance of T cells or Fcμ receptor polymorphism, and need to be investigated by further studies 47–49 …”

“…42,46 Further mechanisms, which were yet investigated to the best of our knowledge only in other autoimmune diseases than in SSc, may also contribute to periodontal disease in SSc, including the presence of gingival autoantibodies, dysbalance of T cells or Fcμ receptor polymorphism, and need to be investigated by further studies. [47][48][49] Significant correlations were found between parameters of periodontal disease and EUSTAR index as well as UCLA SCTC GIT 2.0 total score. EUSTAR index may be used as a tool for disease activity in SSc, while UCLA SCTC GIT 2.0 questionnaire may be an indicator of gastrointestinal involvement in SSc.…”