Study finds how oral bacteria can aggravate rheumatoid arthritis
Tokyo [Japan], September 8 (ANI): Periodontal disease, which affects the gums and tissues around the teeth, is one of the most common dental disorders globally. Periodontal disease, which is most commonly caused by the growth and deposition of bacterial biofilm around the teeth, can eventually lead to tooth loss if not treated properly.
Periodontal disease, which is most commonly caused by the growth and deposition of bacterial biofilm around the teeth, can eventually lead to tooth loss if not treated properly. Interestingly, the inflammatory effects of periodontal bacteria can extend well beyond the mouth, resulting in systemic consequences. Several decades of clinical research have proven that the periodontal pathogen Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A. actinomycetemcomitans) is closely related to the onset and worsening of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a serious autoimmune disease that affects joints. However, what goes down at the molecular level remains largely unexplored and unclear.
First, the researchers conducted preliminary experiments to confirm whether A. actinomycetemcomitans infection influenced arthritis in mice. To this end, they used the collagen antibody-induced arthritis mouse model, which is a well-established experimental model that mimics several aspects of RA in humans. They found that infection with this specific bacterium led to increased limb swelling, cellular infiltration into the lining of the joints, and higher levels of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1b (IL-1b) within the limbs.
Further investigation using macrophages derived from mouse bone marrow revealed that A. actinomycetemcomitans infection increased the production of IL-1b. In turn, this triggered the activation of a multiprotein complex known as the inflammasome, which plays a key role in initiating and modulating the body's inflammatory response to infections.
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