Imbalance of oral microbiome influences on severity of the oral ulcerative mucositis

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K09894
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 57010:Oral biological science-related
• Research Institution: Nihon University
• Principal Investigator: HITOMI Suzuro 日本大学, 歯学部, 講師 (70548924)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 小野 堅太郎 九州歯科大学, 歯学部, 教授 (40316154)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 口内炎 / 口腔細菌叢

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Recently, alterations in the oral microbiota composition have been reported to be induced by various systemic diseases including Sjogren's syndrome. The object of the present study was to investigate the oral microbiota in hyposalivation model rats and examine the involvement of oral bacteria in healing process of oral ulcerative mucositis. In the hyposalivation model, composition of oral microbiota was changed. The severity of oral ulcerative mucositis and bacterial loading level in the ulcer region were exacerbated in the model. The exacerbations were recovered by antibiotic application. Increase in bacterial loading and alteration of oral microbiota composition are likely to be involved in the exacerbation of oral ulcerative mucositis in the hyposalivation model.

Free Research Field

口腔生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、頭頸部がん治療中など口腔乾燥に苦しむ患者の口腔内環境変化と口腔粘膜疾患の治癒過程に着目して行われた。本研究結果は、そのような患者における口腔粘膜疾患の病態の理解につながる。また、今後より詳細な口腔細菌叢の解析を行うことで、どの細菌種がどのように疾患の治癒や疼痛に関与しているかが明らかになれば、口腔粘膜疾患の予防や、治療薬の選択に役立つ可能性がある。