Oral microbiome diversity associates with carotid intima media thickness in middle-aged male subjects

Study information

Reviewed Marked as Reviewed by Svetlana up on 2025-4-10

study design

prospective cohort

Citation

PMID PubMed identifier for scientific articles.

40050445

DOI Digital object identifier for electronic documents.

10.1038/s43856-025-00773-2

URI

Authors

Akhi R, Lavrinienko A, Hakula M, Tjäderhane L, Hindström R, Nissinen A, Wang C, Auvinen J, Kullaa AM, Ylöstalo P, Salo T, Kaikkonen K, Koskimäki JJ, Hörkkö S

Journal

Communications medicine

Year

2025

BACKGROUND: Although there have been significant advancements in reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by modifying traditional CVD risk factors, substantial risks persist, particularly among male subjects who exhibit heightened susceptibility to atherosclerosis. In this context, we aim to study the link between oral microbiome and carotid intima media thickness (cIMT). METHODS: The Northern Finland Birth Cohort of 1966 (mean age 46 years, n = 869) underwent an extensive health examination, including the measurement of cIMT. The oral microbiome was also investigated using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing. RESULTS: Here we show that oral microbiome diversity links with atherosclerosis risk factors, namely smoking, glycemic balance, low-grade inflammation, and periodontitis. After excluding CVD-influencing factors (n = 339), oral microbiome genera (p = 0.030), Shannon index (p = 0.001), β-diversity Bray-Curtis (p < 0.001), and Jaccard (p < 0.001) are associated with cIMT in males, but not in the female sub-cohort. Furthermore, in the male sub-cohort (n = 131), the genera Prevotella, Megasphaera, and Veillonella associate positively with cIMT, while Absconditabacteria, Capnocytophaga, Gemella, Fusobacterium, Neisseria, Aggregatibacter, Tannerella, Treponema, Cardiobacterium, and Bacteroidales associate inversely with cIMT. We examine the involvement of serum total immunoglobulins and antibodies to phosphorylcholine (PCho) and malondialdehyde-acetaldehyde LDL (MAA-LDL) with cIMT. Subjects with high cIMT have lower levels of serum total IgA (p = 0.009), IgA to PCho (p = 0.017), and IgG to PCho (p = 0.008). The relative abundance of cIMT-associated genera correlates with serum IgA antibodies. CONCLUSIONS: This middle-aged birth cohort study shows that male oral microbiome diversity links to cIMT, suggesting a potential sex-specific interaction between the oral microbiome and atherosclerosis. Heart disease remains a leading cause of death worldwide and particularly affects men. In this study, we explored whether bacteria in the mouth are associated with artery thickness, a key early indicator of heart disease. We analyzed data from 869 participants, all approximately 46 years old, from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort. Among men, we found that certain groups of bacteria in the mouth were linked to increased artery thickness, a connection not observed in women. These findings suggest that the composition of bacteria in the mouth may influence heart disease risk, especially in men. Understanding this connection could lead to new heart disease prevention strategies.

Experiment 1

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Reviewed Marked as Reviewed by Svetlana up on 2025-4-10

Curated date: 2025/04/07

Curator: Montana-D

Revision editor(s): Montana-D, KateRasheed

Subjects

Location of subjects: Finland

Host species Species from which microbiome was sampled. Contact us to have more species added.: Homo sapiens

Body site Anatomical site where microbial samples were extracted from according to the Uber Anatomy Ontology: Saliva Sailva normalis,Saliva atomaris,Saliva molecularis,Salivary gland secretion,Saliva,saliva

Condition The experimental condition / phenotype studied according to the Experimental Factor Ontology: Carotid artery intima media thickness Carotid artery intima media thickness,carotid artery intima media thickness

Group 0 name Corresponds to the control (unexposed) group for case-control studies: Inverse association with male cIMT (carotid Intima Media Thickness)

Group 1 name Corresponds to the case (exposed) group for case-control studies: Positive association with male cIMT (carotid Intima Media Thickness)

Group 1 definition Diagnostic criteria applied to define the specific condition / phenotype represented in the case (exposed) group: Subjects with Positive association with male cIMT (carotid Intima Media Thickness)

Lab analysis

Sequencing type: 16S

16S variable region One or more hypervariable region(s) of the bacterial 16S gene: V4

Sequencing platform Manufacturer and experimental platform used for quantifying microbial abundance: Illumina

Statistical Analysis

Data transformation Data transformation applied to microbial abundance measurements prior to differential abundance testing (if any).: relative abundances

Statistical test: Linear Regression

Significance threshold p-value or FDR threshold used for differential abundance testing (if any): 0.05

MHT correction Have statistical tests be corrected for multiple hypothesis testing (MHT)?: No

Confounders controlled for Confounding factors that have been accounted for by stratification or model adjustment: blood pressure, body mass index, Confounders controlled for: "LDL (low-density lipoprotein)" is not in the list (abnormal glucose tolerance, acetaldehyde, acute graft vs. host disease, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, adenoma, age, AIDS, alcohol consumption measurement, alcohol drinking, ...) of allowed values.LDL (low-density lipoprotein)