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Can taking statins help your mouth as well as your arteries? A new study conducted in cell cultures shows that cholesterol-lowering drugs can reduce periodontal disease by changing the behavior of macrophages, a type of immune cell. It has been shown to help reduce inflammation associated with.
Statins are currently the most common type of prescription drug in the United States, taken by more than 40 million Americans to lower their cholesterol. This study suggests that these drugs improve gum health and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Subramanya Pandolvada, an assistant professor at the Medical University of South Carolina School of Dentistry, supervised the study.
Our study reproduced specific conditions of periodontal disease and demonstrated that introducing statins into an in vitro model alters macrophage responses. This has allowed us to investigate how drugs like statins can help treat inflammatory conditions such as periodontal disease. ”
Subramanya Pandolvada, Assistant Professor, School of Dentistry, Medical University of South Carolina
Professor Pandolvada will present the new research at Discover BMB, the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, to be held in San Antonio from March 23-26. The study’s lead authors are Waleed Arkakan, a graduate dental resident in periodontology, and Nico Farrar, a dental student at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Periodontal disease occurs when bacterial growth in the gums triggers an inflammatory response from the immune system, causing symptoms such as swelling, bleeding, and bone deterioration. If untreated, you may lose your teeth. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of adults over the age of 30 have some form of periodontal disease.
Current treatments for advanced periodontal disease include antibiotics, thorough cleaning of tooth and root surfaces, and various surgical procedures. Researchers have been exploring new ways to quell periodontal disease through less invasive treatment strategies.
Previous studies have shown that people who take statins tend to have fewer signs of periodontitis than people who don’t take statins. This new study is the first to trace the biochemical pathways by which statins appear to reduce periodontal inflammation.
“Recent periodontal literature has shown the beneficial effects of statins when used in combination with traditional periodontal therapy,” said Dr. Pandolvada. “However, our study highlights a novel approach in which statins specifically affect macrophages and may be useful in the treatment of periodontal disease through this mechanism.”
Macrophages play an important role in helping the body fight infections. However, depending on their form at different stages of the immune response, they can also exacerbate inflammation. For the study, the researchers grew macrophages and gum cells together and exposed them to various conditions. They found that exposure to simvastatin, a common statin drug, suppressed the inflammatory response of macrophages.
As a next step, the researchers plan to study the effects of statins on periodontal disease in animal models to determine whether this strategy is a safe and effective approach for future periodontal disease treatment. This is a step towards
The new findings build on the group’s initial results published last year in the journal Science. cell.
sauce:
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
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