Transcriptomic signatures of periodontitis in companion dogs

We show significant similarities between the gene expression profiles of periodontitis in canines and periodontitis in humans. We then take a more fine-grained look at disease severity, and identify two distinct clusters of samples based on gene expression.

We show that one cluster is strongly associated with moderate disease severity, and that gene expression is strongly perturbed in moderate disease, especially the keratinization pathway. We then show significant changes in gene expression of known gingipain target genes between the clades/clusters of RNA-Seq samples. Finally, we examine correlations between gene expression and microbial pathway abundances from a companion oral microbiome dataset which are suggestive of mechanisms by which dysbiosis is induced as disease progresses.