Description of the Cariogenic and Periodontopathogenic Microbiome in Patients with and Without Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Using Next-Generation Sequencing.

Introduction Periodontal disease and dental caries are chronic conditions that share a common risk factor: the bacterial biofilm, which is associated with inflammation and may also be linked to malignant transformation. This study determined the composition and qualitative and quantitative differences in the cariogenic and periodontopathogenic microbiomes of patients with and without oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Methods A case-control study was conducted using plaque and saliva samples from 10 OSCC patients and 10 healthy controls. DNA was extracted and sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Bioinformatics tools and reference databases were employed for taxonomic classification. Bacterial identification was based on a predefined profile of 140 periodontopathogenic and 111 cariogenic species. Analyses included intergroup comparisons using the Mann-Whitney U test, principal coordinate analysis, and descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations, and frequencies) to assess differences between groups. Results Within the defined cariogenic and periodontopathogenic microbiome profiles, 26 and 20 bacterial species, respectively, were identified in the total plaque and saliva samples from both study groups. A significant number of the 46 identified bacteria were shared by both groups with a high frequency and abundance. Lactobacillus helveticus, L. reuteri, Streptococcus pasteurianus, S. parauberis, S. infantarius, S. lutetiensis, S. macedonicus, and Enterobacter asburiae were found to be differentially abundant. Discussion Some bacterial species may play a potential eubiotic role, and some were found at low frequency in the saliva of patients and at high frequency in the saliva of controls. Conclusion A cariogenic and periodontopathogenic microbiome profile was established, and eight bacteria with potential eubiotic impact are highlighted.