Chronic Periodontitis and Immunity, Towards the Implementation of a Personalized Medicine: A Translational Research on Gene Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) Linked to Chronic Oral Dysbiosis in 96 Caucasian Patients

Abstract

Chronic periodontitis (CP) is a complex pathology with a significant impact worldwide causing bone loss. Oral dysbiosis is a highly inflammatory condition associated to a long-term insulting infection and represents an underestimated CP key factor associated with an imbalance of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory gene responses. The presence of a single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoter region of interleukin 10 (IL-10) gene-1082, -819, and -592 was a possible determinant cause. This translational research aimed to provide outcomes on the role of IL-10 gene expression in bone loss diseases in patients affected by CP. Caucasian patients (n = 96) affected by CP were recruited from the Italian population. The subgingival samples were collected using the Bacterial Periodontal Assessment by Biomolecular Diagnostic^® and the characterization of a set of 15 bacterial DNA responsible of periodontitis was performed by real-time multiplex PCR. In addition, two viruses, Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1), and a pathogenic fungi (Candida albicans) were included as a part of our panel. Our results confirmed an existing association between IL-10 gene polymorphisms and polymorphism of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), interleukin 1α-β-RN (IL-1α-β-RN), collagen type-l alpha (COLIA1), and vitamin D receptor (VDRs) genes in CP. Further studies are needed to improve diagnosis and endorse more effective therapeutic procedures for periodontal disease.

Keywords: IL-10; chronic periodontitis; clinical biochemistry and clinical molecular biology; oral dysbiosis; single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs); translational research.

Figure 1

The proposed schematic representation of how the dysbiosis may eventually interfere the whole organism functionality. Environmental risk factors such as life style and food may negatively influence the microbiome raising up the activity of bacteria, fungi and viruses that lead the immune system towards a state of progressive pro-inflammatory activity through the presence of TNF-a, IFNy, Interleukins. Bidirectional signaling between the oral-gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system (CNS) occurs through spinal afferents demonstrate that these two systems showed some similarities in terms of expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and altered physiological functions and have increased awareness about the epigenome and microbiome, highlighting a plausible link between the gut microbiome and epigenetic modification of the host. This has explained the intensification of various diseases such as immune-mediated, metabolic, and cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Two arrow head indicates e bidirectional communication between two systems. Indicates the high negative impact of agent or group of agents on a different system or another compound, as bacteria, viruses and fungi on oral/gut eubiosis.