AUTHOR=Jiao Junwei , Bie Mengyao , Xu Xin , Duan Dingyu , Li Yan , Wu Yafei , Zhao Lei 

TITLE=Entamoeba gingivalis is associated with periodontal conditions in Chinese young patients: A cross-sectional study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2022.1020730

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2022.1020730

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background</title><p>This study investigated the prevalence and relative abundance of <italic>Entamoeba gingivalis</italic> (<italic>E. gingivalis</italic>) in Chinese young patients with different periodontal conditions, and its association with subgingival microbial composition, periodontal parameters, and cytokines in gingival crevicular fluid.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>Participants (age: 18–45 years) diagnosed with stage II–IV periodontitis, gingivitis, or periodontal health underwent periodontal examination and sampling. Subgingival plaque was analyzed by 16S+18S sequencing for <italic>E. gingivalis</italic> detection and microbial analysis. The distribution of <italic>E. gingivalis</italic> in subgingival plaque was illustrated by fluorescence <italic>in situ</italic> hybridization. Interleukin-1β, interleukin-8, and tumor necrosis factor-α in gingival crevicular fluid were measured by multiplexed flow cytometric assay.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>This cross-sectional study included 120 sites from 60 participants. The prevalence and relative abundance of <italic>E. gingivalis</italic> were significantly increased in periodontitis (p&lt;0.05). The sites were classified into three subgroups according to the relative abundance of <italic>E. gingivalis</italic>: negative group (Eg0, n=56); low-abundance group (Eg1, n=32); and high-abundance group (Eg2, n=32). The subgingival microflora in the subgroups showed stepwise changes at both the phylum and genus levels. The microflora compositions were significantly altered from Eg0 to Eg2 (p&lt;0.001). Co-occurrence network analysis showed that <italic>Porphyromonas</italic>, <italic>Treponema</italic>, <italic>Tannerella</italic>, <italic>Filifactor</italic>, <italic>TG5</italic>, and <italic>Desulfobulbus</italic> were highly correlated with <italic>E. gingivalis</italic> (r&gt;0.6, p&lt;0.001). Correlation analysis showed that <italic>E. gingivalis</italic> was closely associated with important periodontal parameters and cytokines (p&lt;0.01).</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p><italic>E. gingivalis</italic> was enriched in periodontitis and closely associated with subgingival microbial dysbiosis, periodontal parameters and cytokines in gingival crevicular fluid. Thus, it may be an important pathogen in periodontal disease.</p></sec>