Discover how the habitual embrace of tobacco reshapes the microbial landscape of the mouth, potentially unveiling new forensic markers in the study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolizers.
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Enrichment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolizing microorganisms on the oral mucosa of tobacco users.
Tao et al., PeerJ 2024
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16626
Summary of Findings:
The study investigated the ability of oral microbes from smokers to metabolize polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are known to be present in tobacco and can increase cancer risk. Microbes were cultured from the oral mucosa of 26 smokers and 14 nonsmokers, using PAHs as the sole carbon source under aerobic conditions. The research found that while certain bacteria genera such as Staphylococcus, Actinomyces, and Kingella were more abundant and survived in harsh PAH conditions, two strains of Candida albicans isolated from smokers did not metabolize the PAHs pyrene and phenanthrene. This suggests that C. albicans may not contribute to PAH metabolism and subsequent carcinogenesis in the oral mucosa of tobacco users.
Importance:
This study is important as it explores the potential role of oral microbes in the metabolism of carcinogenic PAHs from tobacco. Understanding the microbial interactions with PAHs could provide insights into the mechanisms of tobacco-related carcinogenesis and possibly lead to new prevention strategies.
Contribution to Literature:
The research contributes to the current literature by identifying specific oral microbes that can survive in the presence of PAHs and by challenging the assumption that C. albicans, despite its prevalence in tobacco users, plays a role in PAH metabolism under the tested conditions. It highlights the complexity of microbial PAH metabolism in the oral environment and the need for further investigation.