Uncovering the molecular networks in periodontitis

Abstract

Periodontitis is a complex immune-inflammatory disease that results from a preestablished infection in gingiva, mainly due to Gram-negative bacteria that colonize deeper in gingival sulcus and latter periodontal pocket. Host inflammatory and immune responses have both protective and destructive roles. Although cytokines, prostaglandins, and proteases struggle against microbial burden, these molecules promote connective tissue loss and alveolar bone resorption, leading to several histopathological changes, namely destruction of periodontal ligament, deepening of periodontal pocket, and bone loss, which can converge to attain tooth loss. Despite the efforts of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics/peptidomics, and metabolomics, there is no available biomarker for periodontitis diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment evaluation, which could assist on the established clinical evaluation. Nevertheless, some genes, transcripts, proteins and metabolites have already shown a different expression in healthy subjects and in patients. Though, so far, ‘omics approaches only disclosed the host inflammatory response as a consequence of microbial invasion in periodontitis and the diagnosis in periodontitis still relies on clinical parameters, thus a molecular tool for assessing periodontitis lacks in current dental medicine paradigm. Saliva and gingival crevicular fluid have been attracting researchers due to their diagnostic potential, ease, and noninvasive nature of collection. Each one of these fluids has some advantages and disadvantages that are discussed in this review.

Influence of storage conditions on MALDI‐TOF MS profiling of gingival crevicular fluid: Implications on the role of S100A8 and S100A9 for clinical and proteomic based diagnostic investigations

“…As reported in a recent review, up‐regulation of S100A8 and S100A9 in periodontitis, is corroborated by transcriptomics and proteomics studies . Other salivary proteome studies also proved S100A8 and S100A9 to be over‐expressed in periodontitis .…”

“…This was the first study which explored and preliminarily demonstrated the potential use of MALDI‐TOF MS technology in the field of periodontal disease diagnostics. The recent evidence for GCF diagnostic capabilities are also highlighted and corroborated by the numerous proteomics studies in the last decade . The attractiveness of GCF as a diagnostic tool, however, must pose important critical issues, among which the requirement of the proteome stability for this oral fluid in such comparative proteomic studies.…”

Host‐microbe interactions: Profiles in the transcriptome, the proteome, and the metabolome

“…The identification of metabolites as potential biomarkers of periodontal disease status or pathogenesis is of interest for many reasons, including to understand the metabolic mechanisms underlying periodontal disease and to target patient treatment. Changes in metabolite composition associated with states of disease may provide the identification of metabolic biomarkers that can be used in a variety of applications, including early disease detection, evaluation of current disease status, and examination of pathways triggered or altered in the diseased state . The most common approaches used for metabolomic studies include analyses of human body fluids by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry …”

Analysis of metabolic profiles of generalized aggressive periodontitis

“…Nevertheless, the specific pathogenesis of GAgP has not yet been clarified. Recently, a consistent, strong effort has been devoted to investigating periodontal pathogenic biomarkers through omics technology . Metabolomics is a branch of omics science that focuses on metabolites and variations of metabolic pathways in biological systems.…”