People with gum disease not only have a 50% increased risk of heart disease, but may also develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Bacteria play an important role in this, but the details of how this relationship develops in the immune system are still unclear.
A new study published in the journal “MSystems” by the American Society of Microbiology shows how periodontitis activates immune cells linked to increased progression of COPD.
The findings, from researchers at Sichuan University in China, show that oral disease and COPD together make COPD worse and point to gum disease management as a potential treatment for COPD.
To do this, this study identifies cells of the immune system that play a fundamental role in the microbial link between COPD and gum disease.
The bacteria associated with gum disease are associated with two types of cells, gamma delta T cells (γδ, which are a prototype of unconventional T cells) and M2 macrophages (to help fight inflammation and tissue healing), the researchers explained in a statement. responsible) and promote COPD. , which are important for the immune system.
Targeting this mechanism may offer new and practical strategies for the prevention or control of COPD, said researchers from West China Stomatology Hospital of Sichuan University.
“By improving periodontal therapy and targeting the inhibition of γδ T cells and M2 macrophages, we can help control the progression of COPD,” said microbiologist Boyue Tang, PhD, who led the study with microbiologist Yan Li. “
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), COPD is the third cause of death in the world. It caused 3.23 million deaths in 2019. The most common causes are smoking and air pollution.
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There is no cure for COPD, but it can improve if these two factors are avoided with vaccination and medicines to prevent infections, oxygen and pulmonary rehabilitation, says WHO.
Periodontitis is a gum disease that results from the buildup of untreated plaque, a sticky film composed primarily of bacteria. Over time, plaque can harden into tartar and irritate and inflame the gum tissue, then create deep spaces between the teeth and gums where bacteria can grow and bone loss can occur.
Periodontitis is a chronic infectious disease and has been found in previous studies to be a risk factor for many diseases, including diabetes, high blood pressure, some cancers, heart disease and COPD.
Previous studies, including some led by Li and Tang, have established that the oral bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis plays an important role in gum disease.
In this study, Li, Tang and their colleagues used mouse models to show how these bacteria can accelerate the progression of COPD. In an experiment, they showed that COPD progression in mice infected with periodontitis and COPD was worse than in mice infected with COPD alone.
In another experiment, they found that in mice orally infected with P. gingivalis, the bacteria migrated and infected the lung tissue, causing a significant and observable change in the lung microbiota.
Further observations showed that periodontitis promoted the expansion of immune cells in lung tissue.
Finally, in experiments with mouse lung tissue, the group connected the dots and showed that P. gingivalis could activate immune cells, boosting their ability to produce cytokines associated with worsening COPD.
The researchers noted that the decline in lung function and increase in immune cells was more modest than they had predicted, but this may be due to the experimental setup. The team created animal models of COPD caused by exposure to cigarette smoke. “If exposure to cigarette smoke could be spread over a longer period of time, these changes may be more pronounced,” Li said. Something that the group wants to confirm.
