The effect of periodontitis on glucose metabolism in skeletal muscles

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K18527
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 57030:Conservative dentistry-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: Sasaki Naoki 東京医科歯科大学, 歯学部, 非常勤講師 (40848305)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 歯周病 / 骨格筋 / 糖代謝

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Skeletal muscles have a high metabolic capacity, which play key roles in glucose metabolism. Although periodontal disease increases the risk of metabolic syndrome, the relationship between periodontal bacterial infection and skeletal muscle metabolic dysfunction is unclear. We found that anti-Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) antibody titers positively correlated with intramuscular adipose tissue content (IMAC) in metabolic syndrome patients. In C57BL/6J mice fed a high-fat diet, recipients of oral Pg (HFPg) had impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and higher IMAC compared to recipients of saline (HFco). The soleus muscle in HFPg mice exhibited fat infiltration and lower glucose uptake with higher Tnfa expression and lower insulin signaling than in HFco mice. Our findings suggest that infection with Pg is a risk factor for metabolic syndrome and skeletal muscle metabolic dysfunction via gut microbiome alteration.

Free Research Field

口腔科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

この研究の成果は、Porphyromonas gingivalisの感染が骨格筋の代謝異常を引き起こし、メタボリックシンドロームのリスクファクターとなっている可能性、およびサルコペニアへとつながる可能性を示すものです。サルコペニアは筋肉量の低下を主体とし、機能的低下をも含む概念ですが、動作の俊敏性が失われ転倒しやすくなる身体的問題に直結します。本研究により歯周病のさらなる危険性が注意喚起され、健康寿命の延伸へとつながることが期待されます。