DNA methylation alterations and their potential influence on macrophage in periodontitis.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To explore how various methylation mechanisms function and affect macrophages in periodontitis, with an aim of getting a comprehensive understanding of pathogenesis of the disease. SUBJECT Alterations in DNA methylation are associated with different periodontitis susceptible factors and disrupt immunity homeostasis. The host's immune response to stimulus plays a vital role in the progression of periodontitis. Macrophages are key immune cells of immune system. They act as critical regulators in maintaining issue homeostasis with their nature of high plasticity. The altered methylation status of genes may cause abnormal expression of proteins in the progress of periodontitis, thus, exert potential influence on macrophages. RESULTS: Certain genes are selectively activated or silenced due to the changes in the methylation status, which causes the alteration of the expression level of cytokines/chemokines, signal molecules, extracellular matrix molecules, leads to the change in local microenvironment, affects activation states of immune cells including macrophages, thus influences the host immune response during periodontitis.. This results in differential susceptibility and therapeutic outcome. CONCLUSION: DNA methylation alteration may cause aberrant expression level of genes associated with periodontal diseases, thus results in deregulation of macrophages, which supports the prospect of using DNA methylation-related parameter as a new biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of periodontitis.