Salivary proteome and microbiome in pregnancy and postpartum: An exploratory study on the relation with arterial hypertension

Objectives: Arterial hypertension (AH) influences salivary gland physiology and oral health, being associated with a higher incidence of periodontal disease in pregnant women. Evidence points to a bidirectional relationship between the oral microbiota and blood pressure regulation. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the oral health of pregnant women and AH-associated changes in the salivary proteome and microbiome during pregnancy and postpartum. Design: Ten healthy women and ten women with AH were enrolled. Saliva was collected during pregnancy and six months postpartum. The salivary proteome was characterized by shotgun label-free mass spectrometry analysis. Specific proteins were validated through parallel reaction monitoring (PRM). The oral microbiota was characterized via 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing (V4 region). The periodontal health and the caries history was assessed during pregnancy. Results: Pregnant women with AH had lower junction plakoglobin (JUP)- and desmoplakin (DSP)-specific peptide levels than healthy women, confirmed by the PRM approach. The levels of these proteins correlated negatively with periodontal health indexes, which were higher in pregnant women with AH. In AH, nitrate-reducing microorganisms had lower abundance, correlating positively with JUP and DSP-specific peptides. Conclusions: The salivary proteome and microbiota are shaped by AH during and after pregnancy. Further research is required to understand the underlying mechanisms impairing oral health in AH.