Shared genetic and epigenetic mechanisms between chronic periodontitis and oral squamous cell carcinoma

The role of NCAPH in cancer treatment

Many solid tumors frequently overexpress Non-SMC Condensin I Complex Subunit H (NCAPH), and new studies suggest that NCAPH may be a target gene for clinical cancer therapy. Numerous investigations have shown that a variety of transcription factors, including as MYBL2, FOXP3, GATA3, and OTC1, can stimulate the transcription of NCAPH. Additionally, NCAPH stimulates many oncogenic signaling pathways, such as β-Catenin/PD-L1, PI3K/AKT/SGK3, MEK/ERK, AURKB/AKT/mTOR, PI3K/PDK1/AKT, and Chk1/Chk2. Tumor immune microenvironment modification and tumor growth, apoptosis, metastasis, stemness, and treatment resistance all depend on these signals. NCAPH has the ability to form complexes with other proteins that are involved in glycolysis, DNA damage repair, and chromatin remodeling. This review indicates that NCAPH expression in most malignant tumors is associated with poor prognosis and low recurrence-free survival.

An evaluation of photobiomodulation effects on human gingival fibroblast cells under hyperglycemic condition: an in vitro study

An in vitro study was designed to evaluate the effects of photobiomodulation (PBM) with 915-nm diode laser on human gingival fibroblast (HGF) cells under hyperglycemic condition. The HGF cells were cultured in Dulbecco's modified eagle medium (DMEM) medium containing 30 mM glucose concentration for 48 h to mimic the hyperglycemic condition. Subsequently, the cells received three sessions of PBM (915 nm, continuous emission mode, 200 mW, energy density values of 3.2, 6, and 9.2 J/cm2). Twenty-four hours post-irradiation, cell proliferation, expression of interleukin 6 (IL-6), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were assessed with MTT and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, respectively. Also, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was measured using CM-H2DCFDA fluorimetry. No changes were detected in the cell proliferation rate between the high glucose control group and laser-treated cells, while VEGF and IL-6 gene expression levels increased significantly after PBM in the high glucose-treated cells group. ROS level was significantly decreased in the irradiated cells in high-glucose medium compared with the high glucose control group. Our study revealed the inductive role of 915-nm-mediated PBM on VEGF and the inflammatory response while concurrently reducing reactive oxygen species production in HGF cells in hyperglycemic conditions.

Cellular signaling modulated by miRNA-3652 in ovarian cancer: unveiling mechanistic pathways for future therapeutic strategies

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that play pivotal roles in regulating gene expression and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of numerous cancers. miRNA-3652, though relatively less explored, has recently emerged as a potential key player in ovarian cancer's molecular landscape. This review aims to delineate the functional significance and tumor progression role of miRNA-3652 in ovarian cancer, shedding light on its potential as both a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target. A comprehensive literature search was carried out using established databases, the focus was on articles that reported the role of miRNA-3652 in ovarian cancer, encompassing mechanistic insights, functional studies, and its association with clinical outcomes. This updated review highlighted that miRNA-3652 is intricately involved in ovarian cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, its dysregulation was linked to altered expression of critical genes involved in tumor growth and metastasis; furthermore, miRNA-3652 expression levels were found to correlate with clinical stages, prognosis, and response to therapy in ovarian cancer patients. miRNA-3652 holds significant promise as a vital molecular player in ovarian cancer's pathophysiology. Its functional role and impact on tumor progression make it a potential candidate for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in ovarian cancer. Given the pivotal role of miRNA-3652 in ovarian cancer, future studies should emphasize in-depth mechanistic explorations, utilizing advanced genomic and proteomic tools. Collaboration between basic scientists and clinicians will be vital to translating these findings into innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, ultimately benefiting ovarian cancer patients. Video Abstract.

Neuronal expression in Drosophila of an evolutionarily conserved metallophosphodiesterase reveals pleiotropic roles in longevity and odorant response

Evolutionarily conserved genes often play critical roles in organismal physiology. Here, we describe multiple roles of a previously uncharacterized Class III metallophosphodiesterase in Drosophila, an ortholog of the MPPED1 and MPPED2 proteins expressed in the mammalian brain. dMpped, the product of CG16717, hydrolyzed phosphodiester substrates including cAMP and cGMP in a metal-dependent manner. dMpped is expressed during development and in the adult fly. RNA-seq analysis of dMppedKO flies revealed misregulation of innate immune pathways. dMppedKO flies showed a reduced lifespan, which could be restored in Dredd hypomorphs, indicating that excessive production of antimicrobial peptides contributed to reduced longevity. Elevated levels of cAMP and cGMP in the brain of dMppedKO flies was restored on neuronal expression of dMpped, with a concomitant reduction in levels of antimicrobial peptides and restoration of normal life span. We observed that dMpped is expressed in the antennal lobe in the fly brain. dMppedKO flies showed defective specific attractant perception and desiccation sensitivity, correlated with the overexpression of Obp28 and Obp59 in knock-out flies. Importantly, neuronal expression of mammalian MPPED2 restored lifespan in dMppedKO flies. This is the first description of the pleiotropic roles of an evolutionarily conserved metallophosphodiesterase that may moonlight in diverse signaling pathways in an organism.

Oral microbial changes and oral disease management before and after the treatment of hematological malignancies: a narrative review

OBJECTIVES

Patients with hematological malignancies have dynamic changes in oral microbial communities before and after treatment. This narrative review describes the changes in oral microbial composition and diversity, and discusses an oral microbe-oriented strategy for oral disease management.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A literature search was performed in PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and Embase for articles published between 1980 and 2022. Any articles on the changes in oral microbial communities in patients with hematological malignancies and their effects on disease progression and prognosis were included.

RESULTS

Oral sample detection and oral microbial sequencing analysis of patients with hematological malignancies showed a correlation between changes in oral microbial composition and diversity and disease progression and prognosis. The possible pathogenic mechanism of oral microbial disorders is the impairment of mucosal barrier function and microbial translocation. Probiotic strategies, antibiotic strategies, and professional oral care strategies targeting the oral microbiota can effectively reduce the risk of oral complications and the grade of severity in patients with hematological malignancies.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

This review provides dentists and hematologists with a comprehensive understanding of the host-microbe associated with hematologic malignancies and oral disease management advice.

Genomic Medicine in Canine Periodontal Disease: A Systematic Review

Genomic medicine has become a growing reality; however, it is still taking its first steps in veterinary medicine. Through this approach, it will be possible to trace the genetic profile of a given individual and thus know their susceptibility to certain diseases, namely periodontal disease. This condition is one of the most frequently diagnosed in companion animal clinics, especially in dogs. Due to the limited existing information and the lack of comprehensive studies, the objective of the present study was to systematically review the existing scientific literature regarding genomic medicine in canine periodontal disease and determine which genes have already been studied and their probable potential. This study followed the recommendations of the PRISMA 2020 methodology. Canine periodontal disease allied to genomic medicine were the subjects of this systematic review. Only six articles met all of the inclusion criteria, and these were analyzed in detail. These studies described genetic variations in the following genes: interleukin-6, interleukin-10, interleukin-1, lactotransferrin, toll-like receptor 9, and receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B. Only in two of them, namely interleukin-1 and toll-like receptor 9 genes, may the identified genetic variations explain the susceptibility that certain individuals have to the development of periodontal disease. It is necessary to expand the studies on the existing polymorphic variations in genes and their relationship with the development of periodontal disease. Only then will it be possible to fully understand the biological mechanisms that are involved in this disease and that determine the susceptibility to its development.

Association between periodontal disease and oral squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

To investigate the relation between periodontal disease (PD) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) we systematically searched records published up to August 2022. Odds ratios (OR) and relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated to evaluate this relation, then sensitivity analysis was performed accordingly. Begg's test and Egger's test were used to detect publication bias. Out of 970 papers from several databases, 13 studies were included. Summary estimates showed that PD was positively associated with the prevalence of OSCC (OR = 3.28, 95% CI: 1.87 to 5.74), especially for severe PD (OR = 4.23, 95% CI: 2.92 to 6.13). No evident publication bias was revealed. No increased OSCC risk among patients with PD was shown according to the combined results (RR = 1.50, 95% CI: 0.93 to 2.42). Patients with OSCC exhibited significant differences in alveolar bone loss, clinical attachment loss, and bleeding on probing, when compared with controls. The systematic review and meta-analysis suggested that there was a positive association between PD and prevalence of OSCC. However, according to the current evidence, a causal relation is unclear.

The Genetic Cross-Talk between Periodontitis and Chronic Kidney Failure Revealed by Transcriptomic Analysis

Periodontitis and chronic kidney failure (CKF) are potentially related to each other. This bioinformatics analysis aimed at the identification of potential cross-talk genes and related pathways between periodontitis and CKF. Based on NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), datasets GSE10334, GSE16134, and GSE23586 were extracted for periodontitis. A differential expression analysis (p < 0.05, |log2(FC)| > 0.5) was performed to assess deregulated genes (DEGs). CKF-related genes were extracted from DisGeNET and examined regarding their overlap with periodontitis-related DEGs. Cytoscape was used to construct and analyze a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Based on Cytoscape plugin MCODE and a LASSO regression analysis, the potential hub cross-talk genes were identified. Finally, a complex PPI of the hub genes was constructed. A total of 489 DEGs for periodontitis were revealed. With the 805 CKF-related genes, an overlap of 47 cross-talk genes was found. The PPI network of the potential cross-talk genes was composed of 1081 nodes and 1191 edges. The analysis with MCODE resulted in 10 potential hub genes, while the LASSO regression resulted in 22. Finally, five hub cross-talk genes, CCL5, FCGR3B, MMP-9, SAA1, and SELL, were identified. Those genes were significantly upregulated in diseased samples compared to controls (p ≤ 0.01). Furthermore, ROC analysis showed a high predictive value of those genes (AUC ≥ 73.44%). Potentially relevant processes and pathways were primarily related to inflammation, metabolism, and cardiovascular issues. In conclusion, five hub cross-talk genes, i.e., CCL5, FCGR3B, MMP-9, SAA1, and SELL, could be involved in the interplay between periodontitis and CKF, whereby primarily inflammation, metabolic, and vascular issues appear to be of relevance.

Polymorphisms and haplotypes of TLR-4/9 associated with bacterial infection, gingival inflammation/recession and oral cancer

BACKGROUND

The expression and SNPs of innate immunity genes TLR-4/9 for bacterial infection, gingival inflammation/gingival recession (GIGR), and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) are largely unknown.

PATIENTS AND METHOD

235 specimens (120 OSCC cases, among which 85 cases with either Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum or Treponema denticola infection and GIGR) and 115 healthy controls were used to know the expression and polymorphisms (TLR-4: N1:rs10759931, N2:rs11536889, N3:rs1927911, N4:rs4986790; TLR-9: N5:rs5743836, N6:rs352140, N7:rs187084 and N8:rs352139) of TLR-4/9 by western blot, RT-PCR, and allele-specific (AS)-PCR followed by sequencing.

RESULTS

Increased TLR-4/9 mRNA/protein expression, bacterial infection (BI) and GIGR were associated with OSCC incidence. One of the three BI and GIGR was observed in 70.83% of OSCC cases, whereas all the HC used were free from any of these three BI/GIGR. The N3: CT-genotype (Odds Ratio hereafter as O.R.=1.811, p = 0.0338), TT-genotype (O.R.=3.094, p = 0.0124), 'T'-allele (O.R.=1.821, p = 0.003), N4: AG-genotype (O.R.=2.015, p = 0.0222) and 'G'-allele (O.R.=1.86, p = 0.018) of TLR-4 as well as the N5: CC-genotype (O.R.=3.939, p = 0.0017), 'C'-allele (O.R.=1.839, p = 0.0042), N6: AA-genotype (O.R.=2.195, p = 0.0234), 'A'-allele (O.R.=1.569, p = 0.0163), N7: TC-genotype (O.R.=2.083, p = 0.0136), CC-genotype (O.R.=2.984, p = 0.003) and 'C'-allele (O.R.=1.885, p = 0.0008) of TLR-9 were associated with increased OSCC risk. Similarly, the N2:'C'-allele (O.R.=1.615, p = 0.0382), N3: TT-genotype (O.R.=2.829, p = 0.0336), 'T'-allele (O.R.=1.742, p = 0.0115), N4: AG-genotype (O.R.=2.221, p = 0.0147) and 'G'-allele (O.R.=1.890, p = 0.0238) of TLR-4 as well as the N5: CC-genotype (O.R.=2.830, p = 0.031), N6: AA-genotype (O.R.=2.6, p = 0.0122) and 'A'-allele (O.R.=1.746, p = 0.0064), N7:CC-genotype (O.R.2.706, p = 0.0111) and 'C'-allele (O.R. 1.774, p = 0.0055) of TLR-9 were correlated with GIGR and BI. TLR-4 (N1-N2-N3-N4: A-C-T-A (O.R.=2.1, p = 0.0069) and TLR-9 (N5-N6-N7-N8: T-A-C-A (O.R.=2.019, p = 0.0263); C-A-C-A (O.R.=6.0, p = 0.0084); C-A-C-G (O.R.=4.957, p = 0.0452) haplotypes were linked with OSCC vulnerability, while the TLR-4 (N1-N2-N3-N4: G-C-C-A (O.R.=0.5752, p = 0.0131) and TLR-9 (N5-N6-N7-N8: T-G-T-A (O.R.=0.5438, p = 0.0314); T-G-T-G (O.R.=0.5241, p = 0.036) haplotypes offered protection.

CONCLUSION

TLR-4/9 expression, polymorphisms, and BI-induced GIGR could increase OSCC risk. This may be used in pathogenesis and oral cancer prediction.

Identifying crosstalk genetic biomarkers linking a neurodegenerative disease, Parkinson's disease, and periodontitis using integrated bioinformatics analyses

Objective

To identify the genetic linkage mechanisms underlying Parkinson's disease (PD) and periodontitis, and explore the role of immunology in the crosstalk between both these diseases.

Methods

The gene expression omnibus (GEO) datasets associated with whole blood tissue of PD patients and gingival tissue of periodontitis patients were obtained. Then, differential expression analysis was performed to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) deregulated in both diseases, which were defined as crosstalk genes. Inflammatory response-related genes (IRRGs) were downloaded from the MSigDB database and used for dividing case samples of both diseases into different clusters using k-means cluster analysis. Feature selection was performed using the LASSO model. Thus, the hub crosstalk genes were identified. Next, the crosstalk IRRGs were selected and Pearson correlation coefficient analysis was applied to investigate the correlation between hub crosstalk genes and hub IRRGs. Additionally, immune infiltration analysis was performed to examine the enrichment of immune cells in both diseases. The correlation between hub crosstalk genes and highly enriched immune cells was also investigated.

Results

Overall, 37 crosstalk genes were found to be overlapping between the PD-associated DEGs and periodontitis-associated DEGs. Using clustering analysis, the most optimal clustering effects were obtained for periodontitis and PD when k = 2 and k = 3, respectively. Using the LASSO feature selection, five hub crosstalk genes, namely, FMNL1, MANSC1, PLAUR, RNASE6, and TCIRG1, were identified. In periodontitis, MANSC1 was negatively correlated and the other four hub crosstalk genes (FMNL1, PLAUR, RNASE6, and TCIRG1) were positively correlated with five hub IRRGs, namely, AQP9, C5AR1, CD14, CSF3R, and PLAUR. In PD, all five hub crosstalk genes were positively correlated with all five hub IRRGs. Additionally, RNASE6 was highly correlated with myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in periodontitis, and MANSC1 was highly correlated with plasmacytoid dendritic cells in PD.

Conclusion

Five genes (i.e., FMNL1, MANSC1, PLAUR, RNASE6, and TCIRG1) were identified as crosstalk biomarkers linking PD and periodontitis. The significant correlation between these crosstalk genes and immune cells strongly suggests the involvement of immunology in linking both diseases.

YgiM may act as a trigger in the sepsis caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae through the membrane-associated ceRNA network

Sepsis is one of the diseases that can cause serious mortality. In E. coli, an inner membrane protein YgiM encoded by gene ygiM can target the eukaryotic peroxisome. Peroxisome is a membrane-enclosed organelle associated with the ROS metabolism and was reported to play the key role in immune responses and inflammation during the development of sepsis. Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) is one of the important pathogens causing sepsis. However, the function of gene vk055_4013 which is highly homologous to ygiM of E. coli has not been demonstrated in K. pneumoniae. In this study, we prepared ΔygiM of K. pneumoniae ATCC43816, and found that the deletion of ygiM did not affect bacterial growth and mouse mortality in the mouse infection model. Interestingly, ΔygiM not only resulted in reduced bacterial resistance to macrophages, but also attenuated pathological manifestations in mouse organs. Furthermore, based on the data of Gene Expression Omnibus, the expression profiles of micro RNAs (miRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in the serum of 44 sepsis patients caused by K. pneumoniae infection were analyzed, and 11 differently expressed miRNAs and 8 DEmRNAs associated with the membrane function were found. Finally, the membrane-associated competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) network was constructed. In this ceRNAs network, DEmiRNAs (hsa-miR-7108-5p, hsa-miR-6780a-5p, hsa-miR-6756-5p, hsa-miR-4433b-3p, hsa-miR-3652, hsa-miR-342-3p, hsa-miR-32-5p) and their potential downstream target DEmRNAs (VNN1, CEACAM8, PGLYRP1) were verified in the cell model infected by wild type and ΔygiM of K. pneumoniae, respectively. Taken together, YgiM may trigger the sepsis caused by K. pneumoniae via membrane-associated ceRNAs. This study provided new insights into the role of YgiM in the process of K. pneumoniae induced sepsis.

Genetic Cross-Talk between Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Type 2 Diabetes: The Potential Role of Immunity

Background. This bioinformatics study was aimed at evaluating type 2 diabetes (T2D) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) with regard to related immune cells and prognosis. Methods. We downloaded the data on OSCC from TCGA and for T2D from GEO database. Differentially expressed genes were analyzed, i.e., for OSCC genes with $p\text{value}<0.01$ , $\left|\log 2\left(\text{FC}\right)\right|>0$ ; and for T2D, genes with $p\text{value}<0.05$ , $\left|\log 2\left(\text{FC}\right)\right|>0$ . The intersected genes between OSCC and T2D were cross-talk genes. The expression values of immune-related genes in case samples in OSCC and T2D were assessed and underwent multivariate and univariate analysis (Cox-PH model). The intersection between the immune genes and cross-talk genes was taken and further analyzed by recursive feature elimination (RFE), survival analysis, and ROC analysis. Results. 1008 cross-talk genes were acquired, including 28 common upregulated, 440 common downregulated, and 540 differently regulated DEGs. We extracted the gene expression value of 782 immune-related genes, of which seven increased immune cells were obtained. From the results, plasmacytoid dendritic cells and effector memory CD8 T cells were highly negatively correlated in both OSCC and T2D. After estimating a low- and high-risk model for survival, we found that activated dendritic cell was significantly different between high and low groups ( $p=0.0095$ ), followed by plasmacytoid dendritic cell. We integrated DE_Immune genes set 1 and DE_Immune genes set 2 and eight key immune-related cross-talk genes (C1QC, ABCD1, NOS2, PDIA4, IL1RN, ALOX15, CSE1L, and PSMC4) were evaluated. After ROC analysis, we obtained that ABCD1, C1QC, CSE1L, and PSMC4 had higher classification and prediction effects on OSCC and T2D. Conclusion. This study revealed a close relationship between T2D and OSCC. Thereby, plasmacytoid dendritic cell and activated dendritic cell-related genes were associated with the survival of T2D-related OSCC, while ABCD1, C1QC, CSE1L, and PSMC4 were the most important immune-related cross-talk genes.

Shared epigenetic alterations between oral cancer and periodontitis: a preliminary study

INTRODUCTION

We recently developed a non-invasive sampling procedure for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) detection based on DNA methylation analysis of a panel of 13 genes. Oral cancer, as well as acute and chronic inflammatory diseases, may influence the methylation level of several genes in the oral cavity. In the present study, we evaluated the presence of periodontal disease(PD) and the methylation status using our 13-gene panel.

METHODS

Oral brushing specimens were collected from three different patient groups: 23 gingival OSCC patients, 15 patients affected by PD, and 15 healthy volunteers lacking evidence of PD. DNA methylation analysis was performed and each sample was determined to be positive or negative based on a predefined cut-off value.

RESULTS

Positive results were found for 23/23 OSCC patients, 3/15 PD patients and 0/15 samples from healthy volunteers. The GP1BB and MIR193 genes in the PD group exhibited mean methylation levels similar to OSCC patients. ZAP70 showed different methylation levels among three groups.

CONCLUSION

Preliminary data identified shared epigenetic alterations between PD and OSCC patients in two inflammatory genes(GP1BB and MIR193). This study may help identify potential links between the two diseases and serve as a starting point for future research focused on pathogenesis.

Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Genetic Cross-Talk between Periodontitis and Hypothyroidism

Background. Aim of this bioinformatics study based on transcriptomic analysis was to reveal the cross-talk between periodontitis (PD) and hypothyroidism (HT). Methods. The gene expression datasets GSE18152 and GSE176153 of HT and GSE10334, GSE16134, and GSE173078 of PD were downloaded through the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differential Expression Genes (DEG) between cases and controls in each microarray were assessed by using the “limma” (linear models for microarray data) R package (|log2 fold change (FC)| >0 and $P$ -value <0.05). To analyze the cross-talk effect between HT and PD, the intersection of DEG of HT and PD was selected. To investigate the biological function of cross-talk genes, the gene ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were applied. Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network was constructed using Cytoscape software. Top 10 cross-talk genes were screened, and the expression values of these 10 genes were extracted. ROC analysis was performed by using the pROC package and GGplot2 package of R language to predict the classification accuracy. Results. The overlapping DEG between HT and PD were 107 cross-talk genes. The results revealed that developmental process ( $P$ -value =1.06E-21) was the most significantly enriched biological process, followed by cell differentiation ( $P$ -value =8.49E-18) and immune system process ( $P$ -value =6.78E-11). KEGG analysis showed that Complement and coagulation cascades ( $P$ -value =2.29E-05), Hematopoietic cell lineage ( $P$ -value =2.66E-05), Phospholipase D signaling pathway ( $P$ -value =0.034367878) and Chemokine signaling pathway ( $P$ -value =0.04946333) were significantly enriched. The top 10 genes with most connections were LCE1B, LCE2B, LCE2A, LCE2C, LCE1C, LCE1F, ITGAM, C1QB, TREM2, and CD19. The AUC values of the two datasets of HT were both greater than 65% (GSE18152 = 81.42%, GSE176153 = 68.75%). AUC values of three datasets of PD were all greater than 60% (GSE10334 = 69.23%, GSE16134 = 73.72%, GSE173078 = 81.6%). Conclusions. A genetic cross-talk between HT and PD was detected, whereby LCE family genes appeared to play the most important role.

Butyrate promotes oral squamous cell carcinoma cells migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition

BACKGROUND

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the most common type of primary malignant tumor in the oral cavity, is a lethal disease with high recurrence and mortality rates. Butyrate, a metabolite produced by periodontal pathogens, has been linked to oral diseases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of sodium butyrate (NaB) on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OSCC cells in vitro and to explore the potential mechanism.

METHODS

Two OSCC cell lines (HSC-4 and SCC-9) were treated with NaB at different concentrations. The cell proliferation was assayed by CCK-8, ethylene deoxyuridine (EdU), and flow cytometry. Wound healing and transwell assay were performed to detect cell migration and invasion. Changes in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, including E-cadherin, Vimentin, and SNAI1, were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), western blot, and immunofluorescent staining. The expression levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were analyzed by qRT-PCR and gelatin zymography.

RESULTS

Our results showed that NaB inhibited the proliferation of OSCC cells and induced cell cycle arrest at G1 phase, but NaB significantly enhanced cell migration and invasion compared with the control group. Further mechanistic investigation demonstrated that NaB induced EMT by increasing the expression of Vimentin and SNAI1, decreasing the expression of membrane-bound E-cadherin, and correspondingly promoting E-cadherin translocation from the membrane to the cytoplasm. In addition, the overexpression of MMP1/2/9/13 was closely related to NaB treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study conclude that butyrate may promote the migration and invasion of OSCC cells by inducing EMT. These findings indicate that butyrate may contribute to OSCC metastasis.

High miR-3609 expression is associated with better prognosis in TNBC based on mining using systematic integrated public sequencing data

MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are small endogenous RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. Abnormal miR-3609 expression is associated with the occurrence of pancreatic cancer, glioma and other diseases, such as polycystic ovary syndrome. However, the prognostic potential of miR-3609 has been reported in breast cancer. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the differential expression and prognostic value of miR-3609 in patients with breast cancer from the UALCAN, cBioportal and Kaplan-Meier Plotter databases, respectively. Furthermore, the co-expression genes of miR-3609 in breast cancer were investigated using data from the LinkedOmics database, and functional enrichment analysis was performed using the LinkInterpreter module in LinkedOmics. The co-expression gene network was constructed using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins database, and the cytoHubba plug-in was used to identify the hub genes, which were visualized using Cytoscape software. The prognoses of the hub genes were performed using the Kaplan-Meier Plotter database. The Cell Counting Kit-8 and cell cycle assays were performed to confirm the functions of miR-3609 mimics transfection in MDA-MB-231 cells. Survival analysis using the Kaplan-Meier Plotter database demonstrated that high miR-3609 expression in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) was associated with a better prognosis. Furthermore, the experimental results indicated that high miR-3609 expression inhibited the proliferation of TNBC cells and induced cell cycle arrest of TNBC cells in the G₀/G₁ phase. Taken together, the results of the present study suggest that miR-3609 plays a vital role in mediating cell cycle arrest and inhibiting the proliferation of TNBC cells.

Similarity and Potential Relation Between Periimplantitis and Rheumatoid Arthritis on Transcriptomic Level: Results of a Bioinformatics Study

Background

This bioinformatics study aimed to reveal potential cross-talk genes, related pathways, and transcription factors between periimplantitis and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

The datasets GSE33774 (seven periimplantitis and eight control samples) and GSE106090 (six periimplantitis and six control samples) were included from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). A differential expression analysis (p < 0.05 and |logFC (fold change)| ≥ 1) and a functional enrichment analysis (p < 0.05) were performed. Based on this, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by Cytoscape. RA-related genes were extracted from DisGeNET database, and an overlap between periimplantitis-related genes and these RA-related genes was examined to identify potential cross-talk genes. Gene expression was merged between two datasets, and feature selection was performed by Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) algorithm. For the feature selection cross-talk genes, support vector machine (SVM) models were constructed. The expression of these feature genes was determined from GSE93272 for RA. Finally, a network including cross-talk genes, related pathways, and transcription factors was constructed.

Results

Periimplantitis datasets included 138 common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) including 101 up- and 37 downregulated DEGs. The PPI interwork of periimplantitis comprised 1,818 nodes and 2,517 edges. The RFE method selected six features, i.e., MERTK, CD14, MAPT, CCR1, C3AR1, and FCGR2B, which had the highest prediction. Out of these feature genes, CD14 and FCGR2B were most highly expressed in periimplantitis and RA. The final activated pathway-gene network contained 181 nodes and 360 edges. Nuclear factor (NF) kappa B signaling pathway and osteoclast differentiation were identified as potentially relevant pathways.

Conclusions

This current study revealed FCGR2B and CD14 as the most relevant potential cross-talk genes between RA and periimplantitis, which suggests a similarity between RA and periimplantitis and can serve as a theoretical basis for future research.

Identification of biomarkers related to glycolysis with weighted gene co-expression network analysis in oral squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common tumor in the oral cavity and maxillofacial region. Increasing evidence suggests that aerobic glycolysis plays an important role in the occurrence, development, and prognosis of OSCC. Therefore, the identification of biomarkers related to glycolysis in OSCC represents considerable potential for improving its treatment.

METHODS

In the present study, a single-sample gene-set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) algorithm with weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were used to quantify the degree of glycolysis and identify key modules with the greatest correlation with glycolysis.

RESULTS

Glycolytic scores significantly correlated with prognosis. In the key module 5 HUB genes were finally selected, which displayed a robust predictive effect. The expressions of key genes were associated with glycolysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The research comprehensively analyzed the glycolysis of OSCC and identified several biomarkers related to glycolysis. These biomarkers may represent potential therapeutic targets for future OSCC therapy.

Identification of Neuropeptides as Potential Crosstalks Linking Down Syndrome and Periodontitis Revealed by Transcriptomic Analyses

Background

This bioinformatics study was aimed to investigate the relationship between periodontitis (PD) and Down Syndrome (DS) regarding potential crosstalk genes, related neuropeptides, and biological processes.

Methods

Data for PD (GSE23586, GSE10334 and GSE16134) and DS (GSE35665) were downloaded from NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Following normalization and merging of PD data, differential expression analysis was performed (p value < 0.05 and ∣log FC | ≥0.5). The common deregulated genes between PD and DS were considered as crosstalk genes. The significantly differentially expressed genes were used to construct the coexpression network and to further identify coexpression gene modules. To acquire the significant modules, the significant expression level of genes in the module was used to analyze the enrichment of genes in each module. Neuropeptides were assessed from NeuroPedia database. Neuropeptide genes and crosstalk genes were merged and mapped into PPI network, and the correlation coefficient (Spearman) was determined for the crosstalk genes.

Results

138 crosstalk genes were predicted. According to the functional enrichment analysis, these genes significantly regulated different biological processes and pathways. In enrichment analysis, the significant module of DS was pink module, and turquoise module was significant in PD. Four common crosstalk genes were acquired, i.e., CD19, FCRL5, FCRLA, and HLA-DOB. In the complex network, INS and IGF2 interacted with CASP3 and TP53, which commonly regulated the MAPK signaling pathway. Moreover, the results showed that TP53 interacted with IGF2 and INS inducing the dysregulation of PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. UBL was positively correlated with crosstalk genes in both diseases. LEP was revealed to be both a neuropeptide and crosstalk gene and was positively correlated with other crosstalk genes.

Conclusion

Different crosstalk genes, related neuropeptides, and biological pathways and processes were revealed between PD and DS, which can serve as a theoretical basis for future research.

Paradigm shift in the pathogenesis and treatment of oral cancer and other cancers focused on the oralome and antimicrobial-based therapeutics

The oral microbiome is a community of microorganisms, comprised of bacteria, fungi, viruses, archaea, and protozoa, that form a complex ecosystem within the oral cavity. Although minor perturbations in the environment are frequent and compensable, major shifts in the oral microbiome can promote an unbalanced state, known as dysbiosis. Dysbiosis can promote oral diseases, including periodontitis. In addition, oral dysbiosis has been associated with other systemic diseases, including cancer. The objective of this review is to evaluate the epidemiologic evidence linking periodontitis to oral, gastrointestinal, lung, breast, prostate, and uterine cancers, as well as describe new evidence and insights into the role of oral dysbiosis in the etiology and pathogenesis of the cancer types discussed. Finally, we discuss how antimicrobials, antimicrobial peptides, and probiotics may be promising tools to prevent and treat these cancers, targeting both the microbes and associated carcinogenesis processes. These findings represent a novel paradigm in the pathogenesis and treatment of cancer focused on the oral microbiome and antimicrobial‐based therapies.

Targeting lncRNA PSMA3-AS1, a Prognostic Marker, Suppresses Malignant Progression of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Objective

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) represents the most common maxillofacial malignancy. This study elucidated the clinicopathological value and molecular mechanisms of PSMA3 antisense RNA 1 (PSMA3-AS1) in OSCC.

Methods

Totally, 135 OSCC patients were recruited. PSMA3-AS1 expression and its prognostic value were assessed in this cohort. si-PSMA3-AS1 was transfected into HN4 and CAL-27 OSCC cells. Then, cell proliferation was evaluated by CCK-8, colony formation, and EdU staining. Migration and invasion were investigated through wound healing, transwell, and western blot. The PSMA3-AS1/miR-136-5p and miR-136-5p/FN1 interactions were validated by dual luciferase report, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and western blot.

Results

PSMA3-AS1 upregulation was determined in OSCC tissues. The upregulation indicated pessimistic patients' outcomes. Multivariate Cox regression analyses confirmed PSMA3-AS1 as an independent prognostic indicator. Its upregulation was also found in OSCC cells. Under transfection with si-PSMA3-AS1, proliferation, migration, and invasion were all restrained in HN4 and CAL-27 OSCC cells. Furthermore, its knockdown induced the increase in E-cadherin expression and the reduction in N-cadherin and Vimentin expression. PSMA3-AS1 was a sponge of miR-136-5p. Mutual inhibition was found between two and the interactions were confirmed by dual luciferase report. It was confirmed that FN1 was a target of miR-136-5p. FN1 expression was increased by miR-136-5p inhibitors, which was lessened by si-PSMA3-AS1 cotransfection.

Conclusion

Collectively, PSMA3-AS1 as a risk factor facilitated malignant behaviors of OSCC cells, related to the miR-136-5p/FN1 axis. Hence, PSMA3-AS1 as a potential therapeutic target for OSCC deserved further exploration.

Development of an immune-related lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network based on competing endogenous RNA in periodontitis

AIM

To explore the relationship between long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and immune response and to construct an immune-related competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network in periodontitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Gene expression profiles in gingival tissues were acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Bioinformatic analysis was performed to establish an immune-related ceRNA network. Subsequently, functional enrichment analysis was performed to detect the biological processes in which the ceRNA network might be involved.

RESULTS

A combined classification model involving seven lncRNAs was constructed. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed satisfactory classification ability of the established model. Further analysis revealed that the screened lncRNAs were significantly correlated with patient immunity. Finally, an immune-related ceRNA network was constructed based on the lncRNA MIAT, miR-1246, miR-1260b, miR-3652, miR-4286, and 27 mRNAs. Accordingly, functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that this network is closely related to the proliferation, differentiation, and activation of B cells.

CONCLUSIONS

The lncRNA MIAT and the MIAT-based ceRNA network may be instrumental in regulating the immune response, especially of B cells, during the progression of periodontitis.

Association of Microbiome with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review of the Metagenomic Studies

The past decade has witnessed a surge in epidemiological studies that have explored the relationship between the oral microbiome and oral cancer. Owing to the diversity of the published data, a comprehensive systematic overview of the currently available evidence is critical. This review summarises the current evidence on the metagenomic studies on the oral microbiome in oral cancer. A systematic search was conducted in Medline and Embase databases to identify original studies examining the differences in the oral microbiome of oral cancer cases and controls. A total of twenty-six studies were identified that reported differences in microbial abundance between oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and controls. Although almost all the studies identified microbial dysbiosis to be associated with oral cancer, the detailed qualitative analysis did not reveal the presence/abundance of any individual bacteria or a consortium to be consistently enriched in OSCC samples across the studies. Interestingly, few studies reported a surge of periodontopathogenic taxa, especially Fusobacteria, whereas others demonstrated a depletion of commensal taxa Streptococci. Considerable heterogeneity could be identified in the parameters used for designing the studies as well as reporting the microbial data. If microbiome data needs to be translated in the future, to complement the clinical parameters for diagnosis and prognosis of oral cancer, further studies with the integration of clinical variables, adequate statistical power, reproducible methods, and models are required.

Linking chronic periodontitis and oral cancer: A review

The aim of this article is to survey the accessible writing on the pathogenetic systems engaged with the relationship between oral malignancy and periodontitis. Gingival tissue contains multiple microbiota, which can induce inflammatory reactions. This reaction plays a crucial role in assessing the susceptibility of patients to periodontal diseases. The link between chronic periodontitis and the risk of malignancy through this inflammation of the affected epithelium have been studied thoroughly. Many studies have reported that, chronic periodontitis has systemic influence which has high risk of developing different types of cancers. Also, various confounding factors such as consumption of alcohol, smoking, diet, age and gender have been found to be associated with both chronic periodontitis and oral cancer. An online quest for a wide range of articles distributed was started utilizing MEDLINE/PubMed, with the keywords, for example, 'oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC)', 'oral microbiota,' 'microorganisms and malignancy and Porphyromonas gingivalis. This review aimed to study the current literature linking chronic periodontitis and oral cancer.

VEGF as a potential molecular target in periodontitis: a meta-analysis and microarray data validation

BACKGROUND

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been used as a therapeutic drug for the treatment of some human diseases. However, no systematic evidence is performed for assessing the role of VEGF in periodontitis. We carried out a comprehensive analysis to explore the role of VEGF in patients with periodontitis.

METHODS

Multiple databases were searched for eligible studies. The pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) and odds ratio (OR) with the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were applied to evaluate the effect sizes. Clinical data validation from microarray analysis was used. Pathway and process enrichment analysis were also investigated.

RESULTS

Finally, 16 studies were included in this analysis. Overall, there was a significantly higher level of VEGF expression in periodontitis than in healthy control groups (OR = 16.64, 95% CI = 6.01-46.06, P < 0.001; SMD = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.25-3.24, P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis of ethnicity showed that VEGF expression was still correlated with periodontitis in the Asian and European populations. No correlation was observed between VEGF expression and age, gender, and pathological type. A large clinical sample data (427 periodontitis patients and 136 healthy controls) further validated that VEGF expression was higher in periodontitis than in healthy control groups (P = 0.023). VEGF was involved in many functions such as blood vessel development, response to growth factor, cell proliferation, and cell adhesion.

CONCLUSIONS

High levels of VEGF were credible implications for the development of periodontitis. Anti-VEGF therapy may be valuable for the treatment of periodontitis in clinical management.

Periodontal Diseases as Putative Risk Factors for Head and Neck Cancer: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Whether "periodontal disease" can be considered as an independent risk factor for head and neck cancer (HNC) remains controversial. The aim of the current meta-analysis was to quantitatively assess this relationship in order to determine whether this represents a true risk factor, with implications for cancer prevention and management. PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases were systematically searched. Selective studies were reviewed, and meta-analysis was performed to estimate the pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) on eligible studies using a random effects model. In total, 21 eligible observational studies (4 cohorts and 17 case-controls) were identified for qualitative synthesis after a review of 1051 articles. Significant heterogeneity could be identified in measures utilized for reporting of periodontal disease. Meta-analysis performed on nine studies that employed objective measures for reporting periodontal disease demonstrated a significant association between periodontal disease and HNC [OR 3.17, 95% CI, 1.78-5.64]. A diseased periodontium represents an independent risk marker, and a putative risk factor, for HNC. Prospective studies with standardized measures of periodontal disease severity and extent, integrated with microbiological and host susceptibility facets, are needed to elucidate the mechanisms of this positive association and whether treatment of the former influences the incidence and outcomes for HNC.

Emerging functions and clinical applications of exosomes in human oral diseases

Exosomes are cell-derived membranous vesicles of endosomal origin secreted by all type of cells and present in various body fluids. Exosomes are enriched in peptides, lipids, and nucleic acids, emerging as vital modulators in intercellular communication. Exosomes are increasingly being evaluated as biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of diseases, because the constituents of exosomes could be reprogrammed depending on the states of diseases. These features also make exosomes a research hotspot in oral diseases in recent years. In this review, we outlined the characteristics of exosomes, focused on the differential expressions and altered biological functions of exosomes in oral diseases, including oral squamous cell carcinoma, oral leukoplakia, periodontitis, primary Sjögren's syndrome, oral lichen planus, as well as hand foot and mouth disease. Besides, accumulated evidence documents that it is implementable to consider the natural nanostructured exosomes as a new strategy for disease treatment. Herein, we highlighted the therapeutic potential of exosomes in oral tissue regeneration, oncotherapy, wound healing, and their superiority as therapeutic drug delivery vehicles.

Epigenetic reprogramming in periodontal disease: Dynamic crosstalk with potential impact in oncogenesis

Periodontitis is a chronic multifactorial inflammatory disease associated with microbial dysbiosis and characterized by progressive destruction of the periodontal tissues. Such chronic infectious inflammatory disease is recognized as a major public health problem worldwide with measurable impact in systemic health. It has become evident that the periodontal disease phenotypes are not only determined by the microbiome effect, but the extent of the tissue response is also driven by the host genome and epigenome patterns responding to various environmental exposures. More recently there is mounting evidence indicating that epigenetic reprogramming in response to combined intrinsic and environmental exposures, might be particularly relevant due its plasticity and potential application towards precision health. The complex epigenetic crosstalk is reflected in the prognosis and progress of periodontal diseases and may also lead to a favorable landscape for cancer development. This review discusses epigenomics modifications focusing on the role of DNA methylation and pathways linking microbial infection and inflammatory pathways, which are also associated with carcinogenesis. There is a more clear vision whereas 'omics' technologies applied to unveil relevant epigenetic factors could play a significant role in the treatment of periodontal disease in a personalized mode, evidencing that public health approach should coexist with precision individualized treatment.

The Oral Microbiota May Have Influence on Oral Cancer

The oral microbiota plays an important role in the human microbiome and human health, and imbalances between microbes and their hosts can lead to oral and systemic diseases and chronic inflammation, which is usually caused by bacteria and contributes to cancer. There may be a relationship between oral bacteria and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC); however, this relationship has not been thoroughly characterized. Therefore, in this study, we compared the microbiota compositions between tumor sites and opposite normal tissues in buccal mucosal of 50 patients with OSCC using the 16S rDNA sequencing. Richness and diversity of bacteria were significantly higher in tumor sites than in the control tissues. Cancer tissues were enriched in six families (Prevotellaceae, Fusobacteriaceae, Flavobacteriaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Peptostreptococcaceae, and Campylobacteraceae) and 13 genera, including Fusobacterium, Alloprevotella and Porphyromonas. At the species level, the abundances of Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella intermedia, Aggregatibacter segnis, Capnocytophaga leadbetteri, Peptostreptococcus stomatis, and another five species were significantly increased, suggesting a potential association between these bacteria and OSCC. Furthermore, the functional prediction revealed that genes involved in bacterial chemotaxis, flagellar assembly and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis which are associated with various pathological processes, were significantly increased in the OSCC group. Overall, oral bacterial profiles showed significant difference between cancer sites and normal tissue of OSCC patients, which might be onsidered diagnostic markers and treatment targets. Our study has been registered in the Chinese clinical trial registry (ChiCTR1900025253, http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx).