Linkages between oral commensal bacteria and atherosclerotic plaques in coronary artery disease patients

• Published in: NPJ biofilms and microbiomes 2016-12, Vol.2 (1), p.7-13, Article 7
• Main Authors: Chhibber-Goel, Jyoti, Singhal, Varsha, Bhowmik, Debaleena, Vivek, Rahul, Parakh, Neeraj, Bhargava, Balram, Sharma, Amit
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/326/2565/2134; 631/326/421; Arteriosclerosis; Atherosclerosis; Bacteria; Biofilms; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Cardiovascular disease; Catheters; Coronary artery; Coronary artery disease; Genetic engineering; Heart diseases; Inflammatory diseases; Life Sciences; Medical Microbiology; Medical personnel; Microbial Ecology; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Microbiology; Migration; Plaques
• ISSN: 2055-5008; 2055-5008
• DOI: 10.1038/s41522-016-0009-7

Coronary artery disease is an inflammatory disorder characterized by narrowing of coronary arteries due to atherosclerotic plaque formation. To date, the accumulated epidemiological evidence supports an association between oral bacterial diseases and coronary artery disease, but has failed to prove a causal link between the two. Due to the recent surge in microbial identification and analyses techniques, a number of bacteria have been independently found in atherosclerotic plaque samples from coronary artery disease patients. In this study, we present meta-analysis from published studies that have independently investigated the presence of bacteria within atherosclerotic plaque samples in coronary artery disease patients. Data were collated from 63 studies covering 1791 patients spread over a decade. Our analysis confirms the presence of 23 oral commensal bacteria, either individually or in co-existence, within atherosclerotic plaques in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy, catheter-based atherectomy, or similar procedures. Of these 23 bacteria, 5 ( Campylobacter rectus , Porphyromonas gingivalis , Porphyromonas endodontalis , Prevotella intermedia , Prevotella nigrescens ) are unique to coronary plaques, while the other 18 are additionally present in non-cardiac organs, and associate with over 30 non-cardiac disorders. We have cataloged the wide spectrum of proteins secreted by above atherosclerotic plaque-associated bacteria, and discuss their possible roles during microbial migration via the bloodstream. We also highlight the prevalence of specific poly-microbial communities within atherosclerotic plaques. This work provides a resource whose immediate implication is the necessity to systematically catalog landscapes of atherosclerotic plaque-associated oral commensal bacteria in human patient populations. Heart disease: Links to oral bacteria A review of bacterial populations in the mouth and in diseased arteries will help research into the role of bacteria in heart disease. Amit Sharma and colleagues at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, with co-workers at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, both in New Delhi, India, analyzed 63 studies covering 1791 patients spread over a decade. They summarize evidence of 23 types of oral bacteria that are also found in atherosclerotic plaques in artery walls. The review also cataloged the proteins secreted by the bacteria and discussed possible involvement of these pr