Porphyromonas gingivalis aggravates colitis via a gut microbiota-linoleic acid metabolism-Th17/Treg cell balance axis

Periodontitis is closely related to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). An excessive and non-self-limiting immune response to the dysbiotic microbiome characterizes the two. However, the underlying mechanisms that overlap still need to be clarified. We demonstrate that the critical periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) aggravates intestinal inflammation and Th17/Treg cell imbalance in a gut microbiota-dependent manner. Specifically, metagenomic and metabolomic analyses shows that oral administration of Pg increases levels of the Bacteroides phylum but decreases levels of the Firmicutes, Verrucomicrobia, and Actinobacteria phyla. Nevertheless, it suppresses the linoleic acid (LA) pathway in the gut…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 81974149, 82101009, DFL20181501, QML20181501, 82122015, 2022YFC2504200, 81991504
• CM
  Capital Medical University
• BM
  Beijing Municipal Administration of Hospitals Clinical Medicine Development of Special Funding Support

  Awards: 81991504, QML20181501, DFL20181501, 81974149, ZYLX202121
• BM
  Beijing Municipal Administration of Hospitals

  Awards: 81991504, DFL20181501, 81974149, QML20181501