Science: The most comprehensive study of the potential mechanism of periodontal disease so far

A study led by scientists at the National Institute of Dentistry and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) under the National Institutes of Health showed that the blocking function of a clotting protein can prevent bone loss caused by periodontal (gum) disease
.
Based on data from animals and humans, researchers have discovered that the accumulation of this protein called fibrin triggers an overactive immune response that damages the gums and underlying bones

The study, published in the journal Science, shows that inhibiting abnormal fibrin activity is expected to prevent or treat periodontal disease and other inflammatory diseases marked by fibrin deposition, including arthritis and multiple sclerosis Disease
.

Nearly half of Americans over the age of 30 have periodontal disease, and 70% of people 65 and over have periodontal disease
.
It is a bacterial infection of the tissues that support the teeth

"Severe periodontal disease can cause tooth loss.
For many Americans, especially those who lack adequate dental care, it is still an obstacle to productivity and quality of life
.
" said Dr.

In injured or inflamed areas, fibrin usually plays a protective role, helping to form blood clots and activating immune cells to fight infection

To explore the link between abnormal fibrin deposition and periodontitis, scientists led by NIDCR researchers Dr.
Niki Moutsopoulos DDS and Dr.
Thomas Bugge studied PLG deficiency in mice and analyzed human genetic data
.

Like humans with this disease, mice lacking PLG also developed periodontitis, including periodontal bone loss and increased levels of fibrin in the gums
.
The gums of mice are packed with immune cells called neutrophils, which are also high in common periodontitis

Neutrophils usually protect the oral cavity from harmful microorganisms
.
However, excessive neutrophil response is thought to cause tissue damage

To find out whether fibrin caused this overactive response, the researchers compromised the ability of fibrin to interact with protein receptors on neutrophils
.
In plg-deficient mice, the weakened binding between fibrin and neutrophils completely prevented periodontal bone loss

Moutsopoulos said: "This study shows that under certain conditions, fibrin can cause neutrophil immunity to shift from protective to destructive
.
" Moutsopoulos thanked Dr.

A genetic analysis of more than 1,000 people seems to support the findings of animal studies
.
Even in the absence of PLG deficiency, mutations in the PLG gene are associated with an increased risk of severe periodontitis, which is consistent with the view that similar processes cause rare and common periodontitis
.

In summary, this study shows that excessive accumulation of fibrin in the gums-whether due to genetic changes such as PLG, chronic inflammation caused by bacterial infections, or some combination of these two factors, can cause elevated and Eventually harmful neutrophils react, leading to periodontal disease
.

This result is also consistent with the findings of other research teams.
They found that elevated fibrin may lead to other inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, such as arthritis and multiple sclerosis, and interference with fibrin activity may help treat These diseases
.

Silva added: "Our data supports the view that targeting the interaction of fibrin with neutrophils may be a promising treatment that can be explored in rare and common periodontitis
.
"

Article title,

Fibrin is a critical regulator of neutrophil effector function at the oral mucosal barrier