Rheumatoid factor-dependent differential landscape of subgingival microbiome in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and at-risk individuals

Serum autoantibodies such as rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) precede the onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and autoantibodies against periodontal bacteria increase during the preclinical phase of RA, suggesting the association between periodontal bacteria exposure and development of RA-related autoantibodies.