Oral Administration of Porphyromonas gingivalis Alters the Gut Microbiome and Serum Metabolome

Abstract

Increasing evidence suggest that alterations of the gut microbiome underlie metabolic disease pathology by modulating gut metabolite profiles. We have shown that orally administered Porphyromonas gingivalis , a representative periodontopathic bacterium, alters the gut microbiome; that may be a novel mechanism by which periodontitis increases the risk of various diseases. Given the association between periodontal disease and metabolic diseases, it is possible that P. gingivalis can affect the metabolites. Metabolite profiling analysis demonstrated that several amino acids related to a risk of developing diabetes and obesity were elevated in P. gingivalis -administered mice. Our results revealed that the increased risk of various diseases by P. gingivalis might be mediated at least in part by alteration of metabolic profiles. The findings should add new insights into potential links between periodontal disease and systemic disease for investigators in periodontal disease and also for investigators in the field of other diseases, such as metabolic diseases.