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Background/Aim: Amitriptyline is a major tricyclic antidepressant that is also used to relieve chronic orofacial pain. Recently, alterations in gut flora due to various antidepressants have been demonstrated. However, it remains unknown how antidepressants affect the oral environment, including microbiota and innate immunity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of amitriptyline on oral microflora and antimicrobial peptides. Materials and Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were intraperitoneally injected with amitriptyline for 2 weeks. The DNA extracted from the oral swabs were used to perform 16SrRNA sequencing to evaluate the oral microbiome. Quantitative RT-PCR was performed to evaluate the mRNA levels of antimicrobial peptides in the buccal tissues. Results: No significant differences in salivary flow rates were observed between the amitriptyline and control groups. Taxonomic analysis showed significant alterations in bacteria such as Corynebacterium, Rothia, and Porphyromonas due to amitriptyline administration. The beta diversity showed significant differences between the amitriptyline and control groups. Additionally, the predicted metagenome functions were significantly different between the two groups. The mRNA expression levels of antimicrobial peptides in the amitriptyline group were significantly higher as compared to controls. Conclusion: Systemic administration of amitriptyline may affect the oral environment, including oral microbes and innate immunity in the oral mucosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Epigenetic phenomena are changes in gene expression not involving the DNA sequence. DNA methylation is a major occurrence underlying epigenetic changes in human cells. Although aberrant DNA methylation is well documented in malignant lesions, limited information has been shown on the involvement of DNA methylation in oral lichen planus and oral lichenoid lesions (OLP). The present study aimed to investigate DNA methylation of E‐cadherin and p16 in OLP, and compare the findings with those in non‐inflamed gingiva (Non), radicular cyst (RC), and oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Materials and methods: Paraffin‐embedded surgical biopsy specimens were sliced, DNA was extracted, bisulfite treatment was applied, and methylation‐specific polymerase chain reaction was performed. Immunohistochemistry was performed to observe the relative expression patterns of these genes. Results: E‐cadherin was hypermethylated in OLP (p < 0.01), SCC (p < 0.01), and RC (p < 0.05), when compared with Non; DNA hypermethylation was confirmed in OLP and SCC when compared to Non and RC. Hypermethylation of p16ink4a was observed only in SCC (p < 0.01). Conclusion: DNA methylation levels of E‐cadherin and p16ink4a were significantly higher in OLP than in normal tissues, and may be associated with the pathogenesis and progression of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sirtuins (SIRTs) are a family of highly conserved histone deacetylases (HDACs) consisting of seven members (SIRT1-SIRT7). Over the past few decades, SIRT1 has been the most extensively studied and garnered tremendous attention in the scientific community due to its emerging role in cancer biology. However, its biological role in the regulation of oral cancer is not yet fully understood. Owing to contradictory findings regarding the role of SIRT1 in oral cancer, debate about it continues. The present study discusses the biological roles and potential therapeutic implications of SIRT1 in precancerous oral lesions and oral cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aim: The leaves of Laurus nobilis have been used for culinary purposes for many years and have recently been shown to have beneficial effects on human health by altering microbiota composition. However, the effects of L. nobilis on the diversity of microbiomes in the oral cavity and gut remain unknown. Therefore, in this study, we examined the effects of an extract of L. nobilis on the diversity of microbiomes in the oral cavity and gut in mice., Materials and Methods: C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into two groups and fed a standard diet (SD) and a standard diet containing 5% LAURESH ® , a laurel extract (SDL). After 10 weeks, oral swabs and fecal samples were collected. The bacterial DNA extracted from the oral swabs and feces was used for microbiota analysis using 16S rRNA sequencing. The sequencing data were analyzed using the Quantitative Insights into Microbial Ecology 2 in the DADA2 pipeline and 16S rRNA database., Results: The α-diversity of the oral microbiome was significantly greater in the SDL group than in the SD group. The β-diversity of the oral microbiome was also significantly different between the groups. Moreover, the taxonomic abundance analysis showed that five bacteria in the gut were significantly different among the groups. Furthermore, the SDL diet increased the abundance of beneficial gut bacteria, such as Akkermansia sp., Conclusion: Increased diversity of the oral microbiome and proportion of Akkermansia sp. in the gut microbiome induced by L. nobilis consumption may benefit oral and gut health., (Copyright © 2024, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of neurodegenerative disorder in elderly individuals worldwide. Increasing evidence suggests that periodontal diseases are involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, and an association between periodontitis and amyloid-β deposition in elderly individuals has been demonstrated. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of systemic administration of Porphyromonas gingivalis-derived lipopolysaccharide (PG-LPS) on neprilysin expression in the hippocampus of adult and senescence-accelerated mice., Materials and Methods: PG-LPS diluted in saline was intraperitoneally administered to male C57BL/6J and senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mice at a dose of 5 mg/kg every 3 days for 3 months. Both C57BL/6J and SAMP8 mice administered saline without PG-LPS comprised the control group. The mRNA expression levels of neprilysin and interleukin (IL)-10 were evaluated using the quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The protein levels of neprilysin were assessed using western blotting. Sections of the brain tissues were immunohistochemically stained., Results: The serum IL-10 concentration significantly increased in both mouse strains after stimulation with PG-LPS. Neprilysin expression at both mRNA and protein levels was significantly lower in the SAMP8 PG-LPS group than those in the SAMP8 control group; however, they did not differ in PG-LPS-treated or non-treated C57BL/6J mice. Additionally, the immunofluorescence intensity of neprilysin in the CA3 region of the hippocampus in PG-LPS-treated SAMP8 mice was significantly lower than that in control SAMP8 mice., Conclusion: Porphyromonas gingivalis may reduce the expression of neprilysin in elderly individuals and thus increase amyloid-β deposition., (Copyright © 2023, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Epigenetic phenomena are changes in gene expression not involving the DNA sequence. DNA methylation is a major occurrence underlying epigenetic changes in human cells. Although aberrant DNA methylation is well documented in malignant lesions, limited information has been shown on the involvement of DNA methylation in oral lichen planus and oral lichenoid lesions (OLP). The present study aimed to investigate DNA methylation of E-cadherin and p16 in OLP, and compare the findings with those in non-inflamed gingiva (Non), radicular cyst (RC), and oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)., Materials and Methods: Paraffin-embedded surgical biopsy specimens were sliced, DNA was extracted, bisulfite treatment was applied, and methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction was performed. Immunohistochemistry was performed to observe the relative expression patterns of these genes., Results: E-cadherin was hypermethylated in OLP (p < 0.01), SCC (p < 0.01), and RC (p < 0.05), when compared with Non; DNA hypermethylation was confirmed in OLP and SCC when compared to Non and RC. Hypermethylation of p16 ink4a was observed only in SCC (p < 0.01)., Conclusion: DNA methylation levels of E-cadherin and p16 ink4a were significantly higher in OLP than in normal tissues, and may be associated with the pathogenesis and progression of the disease., (© 2020 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Dental Research published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Fucoxanthin (Fx), a marine carotenoid found in edible brown algae, is well known for having anticancer properties. The gut microbiota has been demonstrated as a hallmark for colorectal cancer progression in both humans and rodents. However, it remains unclear whether the gut microbiota is associated with the anticancer effect of Fx. We investigated the chemopreventive potency of Fx and its effect on gut microbiota in a mouse model of inflammation-associated colorectal cancer (by azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium treatment). Fx administration (30 mg/kg bw) during a 14 week period significantly inhibited the multiplicity of colorectal adenocarcinoma in mice. The number of apoptosis-like cleaved caspase-3high cells increased significantly in both colonic adenocarcinoma and mucosal crypts. Fx administration significantly suppressed Bacteroidlales (f&#95;uc; g&#95;uc) (0.3-fold) and Rikenellaceae (g&#95;uc) (0.6-fold) and increased Lachnospiraceae (g&#95;uc) (2.2-fold), compared with those of control mice. Oral administration of a fecal suspension obtained from Fx-treated mice, aimed to enhance Lachnospiraceae, suppress the number of colorectal adenocarcinomas in azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium-treated mice with a successful increase in Lachnospiraceae in the gut. Our findings suggested that an alteration in gut microbiota by dietary Fx might be an essential factor in the cancer chemopreventive effect of Fx in azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium-treated mice., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objectives: Behçet's disease (BD) is characterised by repeated acute inflammatory attacks with aphthous ulcers of the oral mucosa, uveitis of the eyes, skin symptoms, and genital ulcers. Although its aetiology is still unknown, there is evidence of the involvement of oral bacteria in systemic diseases. Various types of oral bacteria may be involved in the development and progression of BD. The present study investigated alterations in the oral flora of patients with BD in Mongolia. We collected saliva samples from the Mongolian BD group and healthy control (HC) group, and the oral flora were analysed using next-generation sequencer (NGS)., Methods: DNA was extracted from the unstimulated saliva samples from the 47 BD and 48 HC subjects. The DNA was amplified from the V3-V4 region of 16S rRNA using PCR, and the data were acquired using NGS. Based on the obtained data, we analysed the alpha diversity, beta diversity, and bacterial taxonomy of the salivary flora., Results: Beta diversity differed significantly between the BD and HC flora, but no significant differences were observed in alpha diversity. We found that the proportions of three genera - an S24-7 family unknown species, a mitochondria family unknown species, and Akkermansia species associated with IL-10 production - were significantly lower in the BD than in the HC group., Conclusions: The reduced proportions of the S24-7 family and symbiotic Akkermansia species may be key phenomena in the oral flora of patients with BD.