Oral microbiome, metabolome implicated in multiple sclerosis

Oral dysbiosis and changes in the salivary metabolome may contribute to the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis.

In a study published in npj Biofilms and Microbiomes, researchers compared the oral microbiomes of 50 participants with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and 50 healthy controls.

The salivary metabolome was found to be a factor in patients with RRMS. The prevalence of the early colonizing species Streptococcus and Actinomyces decreased and the pathogenic species Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella increased in patients with the condition. Overall microbioal diversity was also lower in those with RRMS.

Further, compared with controls, the patients with RRMS demonstrated differences in salivary metabolites — including reductions in hypotaurine, fucose and lauryl sulfate and elevated levels of ribose-1-phosphate, guanosine and nicotinamide. Hypotaurine levels were positively correlated with the prevalence of early colonizing species in controls.

The results of the study indicated that patients with RRMS could have a disrupted oral microbiome. The researchers hope their findings can lead to the development of novel noninvasive diagnostics and therapeutics to detect and manage multiple sclerosis.

Read more: npj Biofilms and Microbiomes

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