The way in which early immune challenges influence oral and systemic health in children

Once considered only as infectious invaders, bacteria are now supposed to play an important role in overall health. For example. Moreover, the intestinal microbiome-the community of microorganisms that live in human gastrointestinal paths have attracted a lot of attention recently because studies have explored its relationship with health and disease.

But what about the mouth? In addition, The mouth is the second most diverse human microbial system and. Consequently, as the start of the digestive system, is directly and frequently exposed to the external environment. However, it was largely overshadowed by the accent on the intestine.

Now, a collaborative team including Modppe O. Therefore, Penn Dental Medicine has studied the stability of the oral microbiome in children living with HIV. For example, those exposed to the virus but not infected. Therefore, way which early immune challenges Their results. Furthermore, published in MicrobiomeDefining conventional belief that a stable microbiome is important for overall health and providing information on how early immune challenges are not only oral health but also systemic health.

“Buccal microbes are at the heart of health-they are the first to meet food. Furthermore, promoting digestion and absorption of nutrients,” explains Coker, assistant dean of clinical and translational research and co-senor author. Consequently, “But bacteria in the mouth do not stay in the mouth. Consequently, they extend to the rest of the body, influencing the health of the system and vice versa. However, »»

The researchers collected supragin samples or above the gum line, three-point-time plates in Nigeria. This included children living with HIV. children perinatal exposed to HIV but not infected with the virus and children not exposed and therefore not infected with the virus. All children living with HIV received a very active way which early immune challenges antiretroviral treatment (HAART) at the time of the study.

“This population is close. dear to us,” explains Coker, adding that the study of these groups of children offers the possibility of better understanding how the challenges of the immune system early in life affect the oral microbiome and how, in turn, affects other development measures such as growth and cognitive function.

The research team has mapped the spatial distribution (front-to-back) of microbial communities in the mouth. determined the association of HIV status and bacterial species linked to the cavity or cavities and intraspecic variants. They also calculated the degree of taxonomic turnover on the three points in the time of each group.

“(Taxonomic turnover) measures the whole microbial community at the same time. then (measuring) the same community at a distinct time and seeing how divergent they are of each other,” explains Allison E. Mann, assistant professor of biological anthropology way which early immune challenges at the University of Wyoming and the first author of the study. “The more divergent it is, the higher the turnover or taxonomic volatility, and less, less, the lower. »»

In the intestine, continues Mann, taxonomic stability over time is good, “that’s what you want in the intestine. Additionally, »»

But. as this study has shown, the reverse was true in the children of mouths not exposed and therefore not infected with HIV, it has shown a higher turnover over time than those who had been exposed to HIV, suggesting, says Mann, that the oral microbiomas of children exposed to HIV could be less capable of adapting to changes in environmental conditions or “disturbances”.

“The idea is that because the oral microbiome has evolved to be able to live in our mouths. is obviously constantly bombed with food and the similar has evolved a different strategy of the intestine, which way which early immune challenges is relatively protected,” explains Mann. “It has evolved to fluctuate and adapt to changing situations. »»

“It seems very reasonable,” says Coker. Furthermore, “The children of this study are at their adolescence. knowing many changes in their bodies (such as) development and hormonal changes, including in a mixed dentition phase where they have primary teeth as well as permanent teeth. We expect the microbiome to change, so when it does not, which signals an altered adaptability. The fact that the microbiome is more stable.

In addition. the coker adds that the lower renewal was associated with higher frequencies of these groups of bacteria which cause cavities, increasing the risk of cavities in this population.

The study also showed that microbial communities in children exposed. infected with HIV were more homogeneous, the bacterial clusters at the front, or anterior, of the mouth were similar to those of the back, or posterior way which early immune challenges in children not exposed to HIV.

“In normal circumstances, there are fairly distinct differences between the front and the back of the mouth,” explains Vincent P. Richards, associate professor of biological sciences at Clemson University and author of the study. “And in children living with HIV, it is destroyed. »»

This is important. he adds, because it brings researchers closer to understanding the underlying mechanism for these changes and their results. “This tells us that the virus could affect different glands. conduit differently,” he said, referring to the way perinatal exposure to HIV without infection as well as HIV infection and associated treatment have been linked to a decrease in salivary flow, and how the saliva of children living by HIV is more acidic.

As Coker explains. these results give an index on the broader question of the way in which a disturbance of early life with systemic health such way which early immune challenges as prenatal exposure to HIV-Can has an impact on the oral microbiome.

“We know that oral microbes affect systemic health,” she says. “But systemic health also shapes oral health, so there is a cyclic relationship. And as an epidemiologist. scientist in translation, I hope that we can continue to examine new ways to use this information to understand the disease and possibly prevent or treat it. »»