Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2023, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (17): 2699-2707.doi: 10.12307/2023.477

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Macrophage polarization and periodontitis

Yuan Shuyue1, Liu Chunyan2, Liu Bing3, Zhao Fei3   

  1. 1Hebei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Hebei Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, Hebei Province, China; 2Department of Orthodontics, 3Department of Periodontics, Hebei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Hebei Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, Hebei Province, China
  • Received:2022-06-22 Accepted:2022-08-19 Online:2023-06-18 Published:2022-10-25
  • Contact: Liu Bing, Master, Chief physician, Associate professor, Department of Periodontics, Hebei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Hebei Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, Hebei Province, China
  • About author:Yuan Shuyue, Master candidate, Hebei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Hebei Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, Hebei Province, China
  • Supported by:
    2021 Government-Funded Medical Excellent Talent Project of Hebei Province, No. 361029 (to LCY); 2022 Hebei Provincial Medical Research Project, No. 20221454 (to ZF); 2019 Government-Funded Clinical Medical Talents Training and Basic Research Project of Hebei Province, No. 361029(MXZB00271) (to LB)

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Periodontitis is an inflammation of the periodontal support tissue, manifested as inflammation of the gums and resorption of alveolar bone. Macrophages can play a role in the occurrence and development of periodontitis through M1 and M2 polarization.
OBJECTIVE: To review the relationship between macrophage polarization and periodontitis and its related mechanism, so as to provide ideas for the clinical treatment of periodontitis.    
METHODS: The first author searched the relevant papers published from 1991 to 2022 in PubMed and CNKI. The search terms in Chinese and English were “macrophage polarization, M1/M2 macrophages, periodontitis.” Preliminary screening was performed by reading the title and abstract. Finally, 97 articles were included and analyzed.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: As human innate immune cells, macrophages play an important role in the occurrence and development of inflammation. Macrophages can be polarized under environmental stimulation, which is a complex process. Signaling pathways such as JAK/STAT, TLRs/nuclear factor-κB, PI3K/Akt, inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, interleukin-4, interleukin-13, and epigenetic mechanisms can all influence macrophage polarization. M1-type polarization of macrophages promotes inflammatory progression and M2-type polarization of macrophages exerts anti-inflammatory effects. Studies have found that different polarized types of macrophages play a pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory role in the process of periodontitis through various signaling pathways and secretion of inflammatory factors, and influence bone resorption and bone formation through a variety of ways, and then affect the progression of periodontitis. That is, macrophages are polarized through relevant mechanisms and the polarized macrophages can play an anti-inflammatory or pro-inflammatory role in the process of periodontitis, which has an impact on the progression of periodontitis. Therefore, it is of great significance for the treatment of periodontitis to study the role and mechanism of macrophage polarization in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. However, the polarization mechanism of macrophages is not completely clear yet. Therefore, it is of great significance for future treatment of periodontitis to discover the potential mechanism of polarization and combine it with the treatment of periodontitis to promote the transformation of macrophages to M2-type and its proportion or inhibit or reduce the expression of M1-type macrophages in the process of periodontitis. The combination of epigenetics with macrophage polarization and periodontitis at the gene and protein levels may be an effective treatment for periodontitis.  

Key words: macrophage, polarization, M1 macrophage, M2 macrophage, periodontitis, signal pathway, osteoblast and osteoclast, non-coding RNA, epigenetics

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