Microbiome and Inflammatory Biomarkers Associated With Palatal Wound Healing

Aim: The clinical outcomes of a variety of surgical procedures highly depend on tissue repair and show high variability among patients. There is a gap in the literature on how the host inflammatory response, the microbiome, and the interplay between them can influence oral mucosa healing. In this pilot study, we aimed to evaluate the microbiome and biomarkers profiles in patients who had desired versus undesired wound healing in the palatal mucosa. Methods: Seventeen patients underwent a free gingival graft (FGG) for socket preservation. Palatal wound closure (WC) and epithelization (EPT) were assessed clinically. Biofilm from the palatal wound was collected before the surgical procedure and 3, 7, 14, and 30 days postoperatively. The inflammatory exudate was sampled on Days 3 and 7. At 14 days posttreatment, patients were classified into two groups based on EPT rates: (1) undesired healing (UH) and (2) desired healing (DH). Results: No difference was observed in alfa diversity over time or between groups. In beta diversity, both UH and DH showed microbiome changes on Days 3–7 and 7, respectively, compared with the baseline (p = 0.01), returning to its initial condition 30 days later. There was a trend toward a different microbiome profile between groups on Day 7 (p = 0.08). Bacterium composition in DH showed a balance between healthy species and oral pathogens over time, whereas UH composition was characterized by microorganisms correlated with epithelium invasion/cytotoxicity; virulence factor upregulation; and oral diseases, such as periodontitis and aphthous stomatitis, until Day 30. UH showed an increase in IL-6, MCP-1, and MIP-1α over time, and DH showed a decrease in TIMP-1, IL-1β, and MIP-1α. On Days 3 and 7, MIP-1α and MMP-2 showed greater concentrations of DH in the intergroup assessment, and MCP-1 increased on Day 7 in UH. Conclusion: Specific microbiome/inflammatory profiles are associated with DH and UH. Trial Registration: NCT05171400.