Journal article

Streptococcus species enriched in the oral cavity of patients with RA are a source of peptidoglycan-polysaccharide polymers that can induce arthritis in mice

R Moentadj, Y Wang, K Bowerman, L Rehaume, H Nel, P O Cuiv, J Stephens, A Baharom, M Maradana, V Lakis, M Morrison, T Wells, P Hugenholtz, H Benham, KA Le Cao, R Thomas

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases | BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP | Published : 2021

Abstract

Objectives Analysis of oral dysbiosis in individuals sharing genetic and environmental risk factors with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients may illuminate how microbiota contribute to disease susceptibility. We studied the oral microbiota in a prospective cohort of patients with RA, first-degree relatives (FDR) and healthy controls (HC), then genomically and functionally characterised streptococcal species from each group to understand their potential contribution to RA development. Methods After DNA extraction from tongue swabs, targeted 16S rRNA gene sequencing and statistical analysis, we defined a microbial dysbiosis score based on an operational taxonomic unit signature of disease. Afte..

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University of Melbourne Researchers