Can Gum Disease Hack Immune System Actually Surging Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and periodontitis (PD), a form of gum disease, have long been known to have a complex relationship. They often go hand in hand, but understanding their underlying immunological connections has been a challenge.

A recent study, conducted by researchers at Pusan National University, has shed light on this relationship using a cutting-edge technique called single-cell RNA analysis*.

Their study reveals how gum disease weakens the body's defense against diabetes.

By delving into the immune dynamics at the cellular level, they uncovered crucial insights.

What did they do?

By analyzing peripheral blood mononuclear cells using advanced single-cell RNA sequencing, they compared immune responses in healthy individuals, patients with periodontitis alone, and those with both periodontitis and diabetes .

What did they find?

Well, it turns out that both gum disease and diabetes trigger an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines, affecting immune cells like monocytes and T lymphocytes.

This means that the body's ability to fight off infections is compromised!

Most notably, the study identified the activation of the RESISTIN** pathway in both PD and PDDM cases.

RESISTIN is known for its role in increasing insulin resistance and susceptibility to diabetes. It emerged as a key player in linking periodontitis (PD) to diabetes mellitus (DM).

One particularly intriguing discovery was the heightened activity of nuclear factor kappa B-inducing kinase in CAP1+ classical monocytes from PD and PDDM patients, shedding further light on the mechanisms underlying this complex relationship.

What does this mean for us?

It means that taking care of our gums is not just about oral health—it's about overall health too. By addressing gum disease early on, we might be able to reduce the risk of developing diabetes.

Dr. Yun Hak Kim, leading the research, emphasizes the importance of recognizing gum disease as more than just a dental issue. It's a potential precursor to diabetes, and tackling it could have significant implications for public health.

Thus, this groundbreaking study opens new doors for targeted interventions to reduce the risk and impact of diabetes in individuals with gum disease.

It's a reminder that taking care of our gums isn't just about our smiles—it's about our health.

Do you agree?

Inspired by:

Hansong Lee et al, Immunological link between periodontitis and type 2 diabetes deciphered by single‐cell RNA analysis, Clinical and Translational Medicine (2023). DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1503

* What is single-cell RNA analysis?

Single‐cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‐seq) technology has become the state‐of‐the‐art approach for unravelling the heterogeneity and complexity of RNA transcripts within individual cells, as well as revealing the composition of different cell types and functions within highly organized tissues/organs/organisms (Source: doi: 10.1002/ctm2.694)

**What is RESISTIN pathway?

Resistin is a cysteine-rich secreted protein present in plasma and belongs to resistin-like molecules (RELMs), also known as members of the family of FIZZs (found in the inflammatory zone).

Human resistin is expressed primarily in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and is increased in expression upon differentiation into macrophages. Recent studies have shown that resistin acts on insulin signaling pathways to induce insulin resistance, and acts on vascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells to affect cell function, suggesting that resistin may be involved in vascular lesions. (Source: Creative diagnostics)

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