LiCl-induced immunomodulatory periodontal regeneration via the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

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Zheng, Xiumei
Wang, Shengfang
Xiao, Lan
Han, Pingping
Xie, Kunke
Ivanovski, Saso
Xiao, Yin
Zhou, Yinghong
Griffith University Author(s)
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2022
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Abstract

Background: Growing evidence suggests that excessive inflammation hampers the regenerative capacity of periodontal ligament cells (PDLCs) and that activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is crucial in suppressing immune dysregulation. Objective: This study aimed to establish the role of the Wnt/β-catenin in regulating the immune microenvironment and its subsequent impact on periodontal regeneration. Methods: Lithium chloride (LiCl, Wnt activator) was administered daily into the standard periodontal defects created in 12-week-old Lewis rats. Harvested at 1-week and 2-week post-surgery, samples were then subjected to histological and immunohistochemical evaluation of macrophage distribution and phenotype (pro-inflammatory M1 and anti-inflammatory M2). A murine macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7, was stimulated with LiCl to activate Wnt/β-catenin. Following treatment with the conditioned medium derived from the LiCl-activated macrophages, the expression of bone- and cementum-related markers of the PDLCs was determined. The involvement of Wnt/β-catenin in the immunoregulation and autophagic activity was further investigated with the addition of cardamonin, a commercially available Wnt inhibitor. Results: A significantly increased number of macrophages were detected around the defects during early healing upon receiving the Wnt/β-catenin signaling cue. The defect sites in week 2 exhibited fewer M1 and more M2 macrophages along with an enhanced regeneration of alveolar bone and cementum in the Wnt/β-catenin activation group. LiCl-induced immunomodulatory effect was accompanied with the activation Wnt/β-catenin signaling, which was suppressed in the presence of Wnt inhibitor. Exposure to LiCl could induce autophagy in a dose-dependent manner, thus maintaining macrophages in a regulatory state. The expression level of bone- and cementum-related markers was significantly elevated in PDLCs stimulated with LiCl-activated macrophages. Conclusion: The application of Wnt activator LiCl facilitates the recruitment of macrophages to defect sites and regulates their phenotypic switching in favor of periodontal regeneration. Suppression of Wnt/β-catenin pathway could attenuate the LiCl-induced immunomodulatory effect. Taken together, the Wnt/β-catenin pathway may be targeted for therapeutic interventions in periodontal diseases.

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Journal of Periodontal Research

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57

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4

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© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Periodontal Research published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.

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Dentistry

Science & Technology

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine

immunomodulation

inflammation

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Zheng, X; Wang, S; Xiao, L; Han, P; Xie, K; Ivanovski, S; Xiao, Y; Zhou, Y, LiCl-induced immunomodulatory periodontal regeneration via the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, Journal of Periodontal Research, 2022, 57 (4), pp. 835-848

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