Characterization of oral microbiota and cytokines in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes

Introduction: The oral microbiota is considered one of the most complex bacterial communities in the human body. Dysbiosis of the oral microbiome has been observed in many diseases and has been associated with local and systemic inflammation. However, the effect of type 1 diabetes (T1D) on the microbiome of the oral cavity is still poorly understood. Objectives: Here, we studied the oral microbiota and inflammatory profile of children and adolescents with T1D compared to healthy controls. Methods: Saliva samples were collected in 75 T1D individuals (mean age:15.3±3.8, 53% females) and 79 healthy controls (mean age:13.5±4.6, 54% females). 16S rRNA V3-V4 targeted sequencing for microbiome profiling and magnetic bead-based multiplex immunoassays for cytokines dosage were performed. Oral microbiota diversity was measured using Chao1 and Pielou indices to represent richness and evenness, respectively.