Examination of SARS-CoV-2 infection risk in periodontal disease

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K17002
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 57030:Conservative dentistry-related
• Research Institution: Kanagawa Dental College
• Principal Investigator: Shimizu Tomoko 神奈川歯科大学, 歯学部, 助教 (80782854)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: SARS-CoV-2 / IL-1 / TNF-α / IL-17 / ACE2 / TMPRSS2 / FURIN

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether periodontal disease is a risk factor in COVID-19 infection. Various cytokines are involved in the pathogenesis of COVID-19, and some cytokines are shared by COVID-19 and the pathogenesis of periodontitis. Therefore, we investigated whether the addition of various cytokines to cultured human gingival epithelial cells alters the factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The addition of cytokines (IL-1b, IL-17A, TNF-α） to cultured human gingival epithelial cells resulted in a clear increase in ACE2 and TMPRSS2. Modification due to increased production of cytokines at the site of infection may increase the risk of infection of gingival epithelial cells and contribute to the severity of the disease.

Free Research Field

歯周病

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

サイトカイン添加によりヒト歯肉上皮培養細胞は、ACE2およびTMPRSS2で明らかな増加が認められた。過去の疫学報告おいてCOVID-19の重症化に歯周炎がリスク因子であることが示されているので、感染局所でのサイトカインの産生増加による環境変化が上皮細胞の感染リスクを増加させ重症化に関与する可能性が示唆されるという学術的意義を認める。さらに歯周病の予防はCOVID-19の病態制御に貢献する可能性を示しており、歯科医療における新たな社会的意義を認める研究成果であると考えられる。