Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-24hb2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-27T14:14:52.026Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Heritability of Oral Microbial Species in Caries-Active and Caries-Free Twins

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2012

Patricia M. Corby*
Affiliation:
New York University College of Dentistry, New York, United States of America. patricia.corby@nyu.edu
Walter A. Bretz
Affiliation:
New York University College of Dentistry, New York, United States of America.
Thomas C. Hart
Affiliation:
NIDCR/NIH, Division of Intramural Clinical Research, Bethesda, United States of America.
Nicholas J. Schork
Affiliation:
Scripps Genomic Medicine and The Scripps Research Institute and Center for Human Genetics and Genomics, University of California, San Diego, United States of America.
J Wessel
Affiliation:
Scripps Genomic Medicine and The Scripps Research Institute and Center for Human Genetics and Genomics, University of California, San Diego, United States of America.
James Lyons-Weiler
Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, United States of America.
Bruce J. Paster
Affiliation:
The Forsyth Institute, Boston, United States of America.
*
*Address for correspondence: Patricia M. A. Corby, New York University, College of Dentistry, 345 East 24th Street, New York, NY 10010.

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Oral microbes that colonize in the mouths of humans contribute to disease susceptibility, but it is unclear if host genetic factors mediate colonization. We therefore tested the hypothesis that the levels at which oral microbes colonize in the mouth are heritable. Dental plaque biofilms were sampled from intact tooth surfaces of 118 caries-free twins. An additional 86 caries-active twins were sampled for plaque from carious lesions and intact tooth surfaces. Using a reverse capture checkerboard assay the relative abundance of 82 bacterial species was determined. An integrative computational predictive model determined microbial abundance patterns of microbial species in caries-free twins as compared to caries-active twins. Heritability estimates were calculated for the relative microbial abundance levels of the microbial species in both groups. The levels of 10 species were significantly different in healthy individuals than in caries-active individuals, including, A. defectiva, S. parasanguinis, S. mitis/oralis, S. sanguinis, S. cristatus, S. salivarius, Streptococcus sp. clone CH016, G. morbillorum and G. haemolysans. Moderate to high heritability estimates were found for these species (h2 = 56%–80%, p < .0001). Similarity of the overall oral microbial flora was also evident in caries-free twins from multivariate distance matrix regression analysis. It appears that genetic and/or familial factors significantly contribute to the colonization of oral beneficial species in twins.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007