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Metabolomic Signatures of Periodontal Health and Disease_Umar1.13 MB
Embargoed Access, Embargo ends: 06/29/2028
Thesis
Metabolomic signatures of periodontal health and disease
University of Iowa
Master of Science (MS), University of Iowa
Spring 2026
DOI: 10.25820/etd.008477
Abstract
Metabolomic Signatures of Periodontal Health and Disease
Background:
Periodontal disease is a multifactorial inflammatory condition driven by complex interactions between the subgingival microbiome and the host immune response. While advances in microbiome and genomic research have improved our understanding of disease etiology, these approaches do not fully capture the functional biochemical state of periodontal tissues. Metabolomics provides a dynamic representation of ongoing biological processes and may offer clinically relevant biomarkers. However, limited studies have simultaneously evaluated metabolomic profiles across both site-specific and whole-mouth oral biofluids.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to characterize and compare metabolomic profiles of saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) in periodontal health and disease, and to identify metabolic signatures associated with periodontal inflammation.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study included systemically healthy or medically controlled individuals diagnosed with Stage III or IV periodontitis, along with periodontally healthy controls. Unstimulated saliva and GCF samples (from shallow and deep periodontal sites) were collected and analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC/MS). Metabolomic data were processed and analyzed using MetaboAnalyst 6.0. Sparse partial least squares discriminant analysis (sPLS-DA), pathway enrichment analysis, and network-based approaches were used to identify discriminatory metabolites and biological pathways.
Results:
Distinct metabolomic profiles were observed between saliva and GCF, even under healthy conditions, indicating that these biofluids represent biologically different environments. In periodontal disease, GCF from deep sites exhibited the most pronounced metabolic alterations, forming a distinct cluster separate from shallow sites and saliva. Key metabolic changes were associated with glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, amino acid metabolism, and oxidative stress pathways. Combined analysis demonstrated that biofluid type was the primary driver of metabolomic variation, while disease status contributed additional stratification, particularly within GCF samples.
Conclusions:
This study demonstrates that periodontal disease is associated with site-specific metabolic reprogramming, with GCF serving as a sensitive indicator of localized disease activity. In contrast, saliva reflects a broader, less specific metabolic profile. These findings highlight the importance of biofluid selection in metabolomic studies and support the potential of metabolomics for identifying clinically relevant biomarkers for periodontal disease.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Metabolomic signatures of periodontal health and disease
- Creators
- Umar Hayat Salman
- Contributors
- Sukirth Ganesan (Advisor)Shareef M. Dabdoub (Committee Member)Sivaraman Prakasam (Committee Member)Georgia Kay T. Johnson (Committee Member)
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (MS), University of Iowa
- Degree in
- Oral Science
- Date degree season
- Spring 2026
- DOI
- 10.25820/etd.008477
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- Number of pages
- xi, 41 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright 2026 Umar Hayat Salman
- Language
- English
- Date submitted
- 04/22/2026
- Description illustrations
- Illustrations, graphs, charts, tables
- Description bibliographic
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 40-41).
- Public Abstract (ETD)
Gum disease, also known as periodontitis, is a common condition that affects nearly half of adults and can lead to tooth loss if left untreated. It develops when harmful bacteria trigger inflammation that gradually damages the tissues supporting the teeth. While scientists have learned a great deal about the bacteria involved, less is known about the chemical changes happening in the mouth during disease.
This study focuses on metabolomics, a field that looks at small molecules—often called the body’s “chemical fingerprints” that reflect what is happening inside tissues in real time. By studying these molecules, we can better understand disease activity and potentially detect it earlier. In this study we analyzed two types of oral fluids 1) Saliva, which represents the whole mouth. 2) Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF), a fluid found around individual teeth that reflects local tissue conditions. Our results showed that even in healthy individuals, these two fluids are very different. When gum disease is present, the differences become more pronounced. In particular, fluid collected from deeper, more diseased gum pockets showed the strongest changes, especially in pathways related to energy use, inflammation, and tissue breakdown.
These findings suggest that gum disease causes localized chemical changes at specific sites in the mouth, which are best captured by GCF. In contrast, saliva provides a more general overview but may miss these site-specific details.
- Academic Unit
- Oral Pathology, Radiology and Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9985177274202771
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