Association between polycystic ovary syndrome, oral microbiota and systemic antibody responses

PLoS One. 2014 Sep 18;9(9):e108074. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0108074. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder of women that not only is the leading cause of infertility but also shows a reciprocal link with oral health. This study aimed to investigate the hypothesis that the levels of putative periodontal pathogens in saliva and their antibody response in serum are elevated in PCOS, compared to systemic health. A total of 125 women were included in four groups; 45 women with PCOS and healthy periodontium, 35 women with PCOS and gingivitis, 25 systemically and periodontally healthy women, 20 systemically healthy women with gingivitis. Salivary levels of seven putative periodontal pathogens were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and serum antibody levels were analyzed by ELISA. In women with PCOS, salivary Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Streptococcus oralis and Tannerella forsythia levels were higher than matched systemically healthy women, particularly in the case of gingivitis. Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Treponema denticola levels were similar among study groups. The presence of PCOS also enhanced P. gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia and S. oralis serum antibody levels, when gingivitis was also present. Gingival inflammation correlated positively with levels of the studied taxa in saliva, particularly in PCOS. The presence of P. gingivalis and F. nucleatum in saliva also exhibited a strong positive correlation with the corresponding serum antibody levels. In conclusion, as an underlying systemic endocrine condition, PCOS may quantitatively affect the composition of oral microbiota and the raised systemic response to selective members of this microbial community, exerting a confounding role in resultant gingival inflammation and periodontal health. The most consistent effect appeared to be exerted on P. gingivalis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
  • Bacteroidetes / immunology
  • Bacteroidetes / isolation & purification
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Female
  • Fusobacterium nucleatum / immunology
  • Fusobacterium nucleatum / isolation & purification
  • Gingivitis / immunology
  • Gingivitis / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Microbiota / immunology*
  • Mouth / microbiology*
  • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / blood
  • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / immunology*
  • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / microbiology
  • Porphyromonas gingivalis / immunology
  • Porphyromonas gingivalis / isolation & purification
  • Saliva / microbiology
  • Streptococcus oralis / immunology
  • Streptococcus oralis / isolation & purification
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial

Grants and funding

This study was supported by a Visiting Research Fellowship (AA) of the Continental European Division of the International Association of Dental Research, and the Institute of Oral Biology, Center of Dental Medicine, University of Zürich. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.