Effect of a Novel Food Rich in Miraculin on the Oral Microbiome of Malnourished Oncologic Patients with Dysgeusia

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Julio Plaza-Diaz - , University of Granada, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, University of Ottawa (Author)
  • Francisco Javier Ruiz-Ojeda - , University of Granada, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, CIBER - Center for Biomedical Research Network (Author)
  • Bricia López-Plaza - , Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Complutense University (Author)
  • Marco Brandimonte-Hernández - , University of Granada (Author)
  • Ana Isabel Álvarez-Mercado - , Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, University of Granada (Author)
  • Lucía Arcos-Castellanos - , Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Author)
  • Jaime Feliú-Batlle - , Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, CIBER - Center for Biomedical Research Network (Author)
  • Thomas Hummel - , Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (Author)
  • Samara Palma-Milla - , Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, La Paz University Hospital (Author)
  • Angel Gil - , University of Granada, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, CIBER - Center for Biomedical Research Network (Author)

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Dysgeusia contributes to the derangement of nutritional status in patients with cancer as well as worsening the quality of life. There has been a lack of effective treatments for taste disorders provided by the pharmaceutical industry. Methods: This was a pilot randomized, parallel, triple-blind, and placebo-controlled intervention clinical trial in which 31 malnourished patients with cancer and dysgeusia receiving antineoplastic treatment were randomized into three arms [standard dose of DMB (150 mg DMB/tablet), high dose of DMB (300 mg DMB/tablet) or placebo (300 mg freeze-dried strawberry)] for three months. Patients consumed a DMB or placebo tablet before each main meal. Using the nanopore methodology, we analyzed the oral microbiome of patients with cancer using saliva samples. Results: All patients with cancer and dysgeusia had dysbiosis in terms of lower bacterial diversity and richness. DMB consumption was associated with changes in oral microbiome composition. Neither selected bacteria nor taste perception, type of diet, and cytokine levels were associated with mucositis. Likewise, alcohol and tobacco consumption as well as general and digestive toxicity due to systemic therapy were not associated with specific changes of the oral microbiome, according to logistic binary regression. The standard dose of DMB resulted in a lower abundance of Veillonella compared with the high DMB dose and placebo at 3 months after intervention with DMB. In particular, some species such as Streptococcus parasanguinis, Veillonella parvula, and Streptococcus mutans were less abundant in the DMB standard-dose group. Additionally, the consumption of a standard dose of DMB revealed a negative association between the concentrations of TNF-α and the abundance of species such as Streptococcus thermophilus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus dysgalactiae and Streptococcus agalactiae. Conclusions: Accordingly, regular DMB consumption could modify the oral microbiome in patients with cancer and dysgeusia, which may contribute to maintaining an appropriate immune response. However, as the present pilot study involved a small number of participants, further studies are necessary to draw robust conclusions from the data.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number3414
JournalCancers
Volume16
Issue number19
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2024
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

ORCID /0000-0001-9713-0183/work/170587250

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • cancer, dried miracle berries, dysgeusia, malnutrition, neoplasms, oral microbiome, taste disorders