Journal of Oral Microbiology · Available online 6 Jul 2026 · In press · DOI 10.1080/20002297.2026.2697535
Weiwei Zhang, Ping Li, Shuang Zhao, Yue Song, Yan Zhao, Zhenhua Yu, Wenjie Zhao, Shuang Pan
Background Allergic rhinitis is a globally prevalent condition characterized by an increase in incidence. This study aimed to characterize differences in supragingival plaque microbial composition between patients with allergic rhinitis and healthy controls, and to explore the differential metabolites and enriched metabolic pathways to provide reference data for subsequent in-depth investigations into the pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets of allergic rhinitis.Material and methods We employed 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing technology and untargeted metabolomics to analyze the supragingival plaque microbiota of 35 healthy individuals and 35 patients with allergic rhinitis.Results At the genus level, Abiotrophia, Rothia, and Actinobacillus showed significant inter-group differences. Ten species, including Prevotella melaninogenica and Capnocytophaga sputigena, exhibited markedly differential abundances. Microbial co-occurrence network analysis revealed a simpler topological architecture in the allergic rhinitis group than that in the healthy control group. Metabolomic profiling identified 106 differentially expressed metabolites that were enriched across 13 associated metabolic pathways.Conclusion Under the current inclusion criteria, this study identified significant alterations in the microbial composition of supragingival plaques in patients with allergic rhinitis. Additionally, using the current sample size, this study preliminarily characterised differential metabolites and pathways, providing initial clues for identifying therapeutic targets in allergic rhinitis.
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Zhang, W., Li, P., Zhao, S., et al. (2026). Microbiome and metabolome integrated analysis reveals oral microbiota alterations and associated metabolic pathways in allergic rhinitis. Journal of Oral Microbiology. https://doi.org/10.1080/20002297.2026.2697535