Title
Levels of low-molecular-weight hyaluronan in periodontitis-treated patients and its immunostimulatory effects on CD4<sup>+</sup> T lymphocytes
Date Issued
01 August 2021
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Castillo F.
Monasterio G.
Ibarra J.P.
Guevara J.
Vicencio E.
Cortez C.
Carvajal P.
Vernal R.
Publisher(s)
Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Abstract
Objectives: During periodontitis, chronic inflammation triggers soft tissue breakdown, and hyaluronan is degraded into fragments of low molecular weight (LMW-HA). This investigation aimed to elucidate whether LMW-HA fragments with immunogenic potential on T lymphocytes remain in periodontal tissues after periodontal treatment. Materials and methods: GCF samples were obtained from 15 periodontitis-affected patients and the LMW-HA, RANKL, and OPG levels were analyzed before and after 6 months of periodontal treatment by ELISA. Eight healthy individuals were analyzed as controls. Besides, human T lymphocytes were purified, exposed to infected dendritic cells, and pulsed with LMW-HA. Non-treated T lymphocytes were used as control. The expression levels of the transcription factors and cytokines that determine the Th1, Th17, and Th22 lymphocyte differentiation and function were analyzed by RT-qPCR. Similarly, the expression levels of RANKL and CD44 were analyzed. Results: In the GCF samples of periodontitis-affected patients, higher levels of LMW-HA were detected when compared with those of healthy individuals (52.1 ± 15.4 vs. 21.4 ± 12.2, p < 0.001), and these increased levels did not decrease after periodontal therapy (52.1 ± 15.4 vs. 45.7 ± 15.9, p = 0.158). Similarly, the RANKL levels and RANKL/OPG ratios did not change after periodontal therapy. Furthermore, in human T lymphocytes, LMW-HA induced higher expression levels of the Th1, Th17, and Th22-related transcription factors and cytokines, as well as CD44 and RANKL, as compared with non-treated cells. Conclusions: In some patients, increased levels of LMW-HA persist in periodontal tissues after conventional periodontal therapy, and these remaining LMW-HA fragments with immunostimulatory potential could induce the polarization of a pathologic Th1/Th17/Th22-pattern of immune response on T lymphocytes. Clinical relevance: The persistence of increased levels of LMW-HA in periodontal tissues after periodontal therapy could favor the recurrence of the disease and further breakdown of periodontal supporting tissues.
Start page
4987
End page
5000
Volume
25
Issue
8
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Odontología, Cirugía oral, Medicina oral
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85100506296
PubMed ID
Source
Clinical Oral Investigations
ISSN of the container
14326981
Sponsor(s)
This investigation has been financially supported by grants FONDECYT 1181780 (RV) and FONDECYT 11190073 (CC), from the Chilean Governmental Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo (ANID). GM was a recipient of the Ph.D. Scholarship CONICYT 21170297 from ANID. EAC was a recipient of the Ph.D. scholarship from the School of Graduates of the Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de Chile. We are grateful to Darna Venegas (Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de Chile) for sharing her expertise on bacterial cultures.
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus