Microbial composition of atherosclerotic plaques

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The association of infections such as periodontitis with atherosclerotic diseases is well documented. In spite of the high diversity of the human oral microbiota, and its close contact with the circulatory system, few oral species were detected in atherosclerotic plaques. Thus, we attempted to evaluate the microbial diversity of atherosclerotic plaques from patients with different periodontal conditions, submitted to endarterectomy by a broad-range microbial method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients indicated for aorta endarterectomy due to myocardial infarction were recruited for periodontal clinical examination. The microbial diversity of atherosclerotic plaques (n = 35) was evaluated by sequence analysis of bacterial 16S rRNA libraries. RESULTS: Bacterial DNA was detected in 12 endarterectomy specimens (34.3%). Twenty-three bacterial species/phylotypes were identified. Proteobacteria and Firmicutes comprised 78.3% and 21.7% of the identified taxa, respectively. Fifteen (60.9%) phylotypes were reported as yet uncultivable or as yet uncharacterized species. Two uncultured phylotypes were previously detected in the human mouth. The periodontopathogen Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans was detected in seven samples (20%), followed by Pseudomonas species. There was no association between periodontal parameters and detection of A. actinomycetemcomitans or other phylotypes in atherosclerotic plaques. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest a role of the oral microbiota in the development of inflammation in atherogenesis, particularly of A. actinomycetemcomitans. Oral Diseases (2014) 20, e128-e134

Microbial modulation of cardiovascular disease

“…Importantly, some of these bacteria have been found in the intestinal tract as expected, but also within atherosclerotic plaques 13–15 , which indicates the possibility of engagement of PRRs in highly distinct microenvironments. In a metagenome-wide association study (MWAS) for atherosclerosis it was recently reported that the genus Collinsella spp .…”

“…Several recent studies have analyzed microbiota communities in human oral, gut and atherosclerotic plaques from individuals with established atherosclerosis, and have found a reproducible correlation between CVD and bacterial pathogens, including Chlamydia pneumoniae, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Helicobacter pylori and Aggregibacter actinomycetemcomitans 12–15 . Importantly, some of these bacteria have been found in the intestinal tract as expected, but also within atherosclerotic plaques 13–15 , which indicates the possibility of engagement of PRRs in highly distinct microenvironments.…”

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Microcolonies in Coronary Thrombi from Patients with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

“…aeruginosa and other Pseudomonas species have previously been isolated from human atherosclerotic tissue, and chronic infection with P . aeruginosa has been shown to exacerbate AS in a hypercholesterolemic rat model [13, 14, 34–36]. P .…”

Unraveling the environmental and genetic interactions in atherosclerosis: Central role of the gut microbiota

“…For example, in one study, the microbial diversity of atherosclerotic endarterectomy plaques (N=35) was evaluated by sequence analysis of 16s ribosomal DNA. About one third contained bacterial DNA and 23 different species/phylotypes were detected, with the periodontal pathogen Aggregatibacter Actinomycetemcomitans being detected in 20% of samples [52]. …”