Journal of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Medical Science) ›› 2023, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (5): 600-605.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-8115.2023.05.010

• Clinical research • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Changes in serum Th17/Treg-related cytokine levels in periodontitis patients with Alzheimer′s disease

XIE Xinyi(), ZHOU Wei, QIU Che, SHEN Hui, SONG Zhongchen()   

  1. Department of Periodontology, Shanghai Ninth People′s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; National Center for Stomatology; National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology; Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China
  • Received:2022-11-22 Accepted:2023-04-28 Online:2023-05-28 Published:2023-07-11
  • Contact: SONG Zhongchen E-mail:honeymelon2015@sjtu.edu.cn;szhongchen@sina.com
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(82071112);Clinical Research Plan of SHDC(SHDC2020CR5015)

Abstract:

Objective ·To observe the role of serum Th17/Treg levels in the correlation between Alzheimer′s disease and periodontitis. Methods ·Eighteen periodontitis patients with Alzheimer′s disease who visited the Department of Geriatric, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and 15 periodontitis patients with normal cognitive function who visited the Department of Periodontology, Shanghai Ninth People′s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from June 2020 to December 2021, were enrolled in this study. Probing depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL) and percentage of bleeding on probing (BOP%) were examined and recorded. Serum levels of Th17-related cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-17, and IL-22, Treg-related cytokines IL-4 and IL-10, and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) were measured by ELISA. The differences of periodontal status and cytokine levels were compared by using t-test. The difference was statistically significant when P<0.05. Results ·The PD (P=0.021), CAL (P=0.018) and BOP% (P=0.018) were significantly higher in the periodontitis patients with Alzheimer′s disease than those in periodontitis patients with normal cognitive function. The serum IL-6 (P=0.010), IL-17 (P=0.022) and IL-22 (P=0.031) levels were significantly higher in the periodontitis patients with Alzheimer′s disease than those in periodontitis patients with normal cognitive function, while the levels of IL-10 (P=0.049), IL-4 (P=0.002) and TGF-β (P=0.006) in the periodontitis patients with Alzheimer′s disease were significantly lower compared with those in periodontitis patients with normal cognitive function. Conclusion ·The periodontal condition of periodontitis patients with Alzheimer′s disease is worse compared to that of periodontitis patients with normal cognitive function. The expression of Th17-related pro-inflammatory cytokines is elevated, while the expression of Treg-related anti-inflammatory factors is decreased. Thus, periodontitis may affect the development of Alzheimer′s disease by mediating Th17/Treg-related chronic inflammatory responses.

Key words: Alzheimer′s disease, periodontal disease, cytokins, Th17 cell, Treg cell

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