Functional and taxonomic dysbiosis of the supragingival plaque metagenome in Behçet’s disease
- Thanyarat Sapthanakorn, Pitipol Choopong, Wasawat Sermsripong, Chatkoew Boriboonhirunsarn, Chompak Khamwachirapitak, Annop Krasaesin, Pimchanok Sutthiboonyaphan, Nisachon Siripaiboonpong, Rangsini Mahanonda, Paswach Wiriyakijja, George Pelekos, Thantrira Porntaveetus, Supreda Suphanantachat Srithanyarat
- https://doi.org/10.1080/20002297.2025.2552165
ABSTRACT
Background
Behçet’s Disease (BD), a complex autoinflammatory disorder, is increasingly linked to microbial dysbiosis, yet the specific microbial signatures and their functional consequences remain incompletely characterized. Elucidating these alterations is crucial for understanding BD pathogenesis.
Objective
To identify distinct microbial community structures and functional potentials in supragingival plaque microbiomes of BD patients versus healthy controls (HC) using high-resolution shotgun metagenomic sequencing.
Methods
Supragingival plaque from 18 BD patients and 22 HCs was subjected to shotgun metagenomics. Analyses included alpha/beta diversity, taxonomic composition, and MetaCyc pathway abundance, with statistical comparisons.
Results
Despite similar age and clinical attachment levels, BD patients exhibited significantly increased alpha diversity and distinct beta diversity compared to HCs. Differential abundance analysis revealed an enrichment of anaerobic and opportunistic taxa in BD (implicating 4 phyla and 28 genera), alongside 19 significantly altered MetaCyc pathways, indicating substantial functional reprogramming within the BD oral microbiome.
Conclusion
This high-resolution metagenomic analysis reveals profound oral microbiome dysbiosis in Behçet’s Disease, characterized by altered diversity, a distinct taxonomic signature enriched with pathobionts, and significant functional shifts. These comprehensive microbial alterations are implicated in contributing to the local and systemic inflammatory processes driving BD pathogenesis, offering potential avenues for diagnostic biomarkers and targeted therapies.