# Oral Eikenella as a potential new biomarker of symptomatic carotid atherosclerosis

## TL;DR

The study suggests that the presence of the oral bacterium Eikenella may be linked to symptomatic carotid atherosclerosis and could serve as a new biomarker.

## Contribution

The study identifies Eikenella as a potential new biomarker for symptomatic carotid atherosclerosis.

## Key findings

- Oral microbiota diversity and composition differ between patients with carotid atherosclerosis and controls.
- Eikenella corrodens was detected in all 30 carotid plaque specimens.
- Higher relative abundance of Eikenella was observed in symptomatic patients compared to asymptomatic ones.

## Abstract

Oral microbiota dysbiosis is linked to cardiovascular disease, and oral pathogens have been detected in atherosclerotic plaques. We aimed to investigate the relationship between the oral microbiota and carotid atherosclerosis, and the occurrence of oral pathogens in plaques.

Oral swab and saliva samples from patients with severe carotid atherosclerosis (≥50% stenosis) were compared with those from controls. The oral microbiome was analyzed by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing targeting the V3‒V4 region. Carotid plaques were investigated for five oral bacterial species by qRT-PCR.

Compared with controls, patients exhibited different inter-individual (beta) diversity (r = 0.02, p = 0.002), reduced intra-individual (alpha) diversity (p = 0.026) and 22 bacterial genera differed in relative abundance. Furthermore, abundances of five bacterial genera, including Eikenella, were increased in patients with recent cerebrovascular symptoms compared to asymptomatic patients. Eikenella corrodens was detected in all 30 carotid plaques.

Oral microbiota diversity and composition differ between patients with carotid atherosclerosis and controls. A higher relative abundance of the genus Eikenella in symptomatic versus asymptomatic patients and the detection of the species Eikenella corrodens in all carotid plaques, might suggest that Eikenella is important in atherogenesis and plaque instability. Oral Eikenella could possibly serve as a potential new biomarker.

Oral Eikenella was increased in patients with symptomatic carotid atherosclerosis.Eikenella corrodens was detected in all 30 carotid plaque specimens.Oral Eikenella might serve as a new biomarker for atherogenesis and plaque instability.

Oral Eikenella was increased in patients with symptomatic carotid atherosclerosis.

Eikenella corrodens was detected in all 30 carotid plaque specimens.

Oral Eikenella might serve as a new biomarker for atherogenesis and plaque instability.