MIRNA146A, MIRNA155 PROFILE AND DYSBIOSIS ANALYSIS IN BHT PATIENTS: A PILOT STUDY

Aim: this work analyzes oral biomarkers such as miRNA146a, miRNA155, VSC (dimethyle sulfide, methyl mercaptan, hydrogen sulfide) and periodontal bacteria (Fusobacterium spp, P. gingivalis, T. forshytia) in 10 patients with Black Hairy Tongue (BHT), in order to identify etiological factors, related to the pathology, to oral and systemic comorbidity, useful to therapy and follow-up. Methods: each patient of the BHT cohort undergoes 4 samples: one on healthy tongue, one on black colored tongue to evaluate and compare periodontal bacteria concentration, one to evaluate VSC, one to analyse pri-miRNA146a and pri-miRNA155. All these data were analyzed in the molecular biotechnology laboratory in Cagliari. Results: Pri-miRNA146a resulted upregulated in the majority of the cohort, instead pri-miRNA155 resulted upregulated in only one patient. Periodontal bacteria were observed in all the cohorts with different concentrations, only P. gingivalis was localized mainly on healty tongue. Fusobacterium was linked to VSC production and VSC resulted in different levels, among these, dimethyl sulfide was the prevalent compound. Conclusions: Pri-miRNA146a and pri-miRNA155 upregolation is in line with the oral and systemic condition. Hypotesis on a connection between Fusobacterium, miRNA146a and dimetil sulfide could explain BHT clinical manifestation, onset and progression. This work could be an useful model to compare these oral biomarkers to study other oral pathologies or systemic pathologies with oral implications.