Zhang Shuyuan, Clasen Frederick, Cai Haizhuang, Do Thuy, Shoaie Saeed, Carpenter Guy H
Centre for Host Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, LS2 9LU, Leeds, UK.
NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes. 2025 May 2;11(1):69. doi: 10.1038/s41522-025-00689-8.
Nitrate, an inorganic anion found in various foods is also present in saliva and has emerged as a potential prebiotic for the oral microbiome. Salivary glands concentrate nitrate from the bloodstream and release it into the oral cavity via the anion transporter sialin SLC17A5. In previous studies dietary nitrate supplementation altered oral bacteria composition, favouring genera like Rothia and Neisseria while reducing Streptococcus, Veillonella, Prevotella, and Actinomyces. The present study hypothesized that taste intensity might adapt to changes in the oral microbiome caused by nitrate supplementation. Participants underwent taste tests before, during, and after supplementation. All subjects showed greater levels of salivary nitrate during supplementation and had higher levels of Neisseria compared to before. Subjects were then grouped according to taste tests (before vs. during) as responders (ANOVA p < 0.05, n = 7), and non-responders (ANOVA p > 0.05, n = 6) and their salivary metabolome and oral microbiome further analysed. Responders had significantly less 5-amino pentanoate, formate, propionate and butyrate in saliva while non-responders showed no metabolite changes between before and during supplementation. In contrast, non-responders had increased Capnocytophaga gingivalis and altered lysosomal degradation pathways. Overall, nitrate supplementation shifted the oral microbiome composition in all subjects and when taste intensity was altered this correlated to bacteria-derived short-chain fatty acid production. This suggests taste perception is affected by the oral microbiome.
硝酸盐是一种存在于各种食物中的无机阴离子，也存在于唾液中，并已成为口腔微生物群的一种潜在益生元。唾液腺从血液中浓缩硝酸盐，并通过阴离子转运体唾液酸转运蛋白SLC17A5将其释放到口腔中。在先前的研究中，膳食补充硝酸盐改变了口腔细菌组成，有利于罗氏菌属和奈瑟菌属等菌属，同时减少了链球菌属、韦荣球菌属、普雷沃菌属和放线菌属。本研究假设味觉强度可能会适应补充硝酸盐引起的口腔微生物群变化。参与者在补充前、补充期间和补充后进行了味觉测试。与补充前相比，所有受试者在补充期间唾液硝酸盐水平更高，奈瑟菌水平也更高。然后根据味觉测试（补充前与补充期间）将受试者分为反应者（方差分析p < 0.05，n = 7）和无反应者（方差分析p > 0.05，n = 6），并进一步分析他们的唾液代谢组和口腔微生物群。反应者唾液中的5-氨基戊酸、甲酸、丙酸和丁酸显著减少，而无反应者在补充前和补充期间唾液代谢物没有变化。相比之下，无反应者牙龈二氧化碳嗜纤维菌增加，溶酶体降解途径改变。总体而言，补充硝酸盐改变了所有受试者的口腔微生物群组成，当味觉强度改变时，这与细菌衍生的短链脂肪酸产生相关。这表明味觉感知受口腔微生物群影响。
