Turk J Immunol. 2022; 10(3): 162-169 | DOI: 10.4274/tji.galenos.2022.63497

Expression of NLRC4 Inflammasome and Its Correlation with Treponema denticola in Stage III/IV Periodontitis with Type II Diabetes Mellitus

Sumi Priyadarshini¹, Devapriya Appukuttan¹, Dhayanand Victor¹, Santhosh Venkadassalapathy¹, Vanaja Krishna Naik^2
1Department of Periodontics, SRM Dental College, Chennai, India
²Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Leeds, UK

Objective: To evaluate the expression of NLRC4 inflammasome and correlate with Treponema denticola (T. denticola) levels, so as to comprehend their role in mediating chronic inflammation in individuals with periodontitis (PD) and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM).
Materials and Methods: A total of fifty-one subjects were recruited and grouped as those systemically and periodontally healthy (PH, n=17), those systemically healthy with PD (PD, n=17), and those with T2DM with PD (PD+T2DM, n=17). Site specific probing pocket depth, clinical attachment level, plaque index, and gingival index were recorded. Thereafter, samples of subgingival plaque and gingival tissue taken with biopsy using an internal bevel incision were procured at sites evidencing the disease state. T. denticola was quantified using qPCR, and NLRC4 expression was evaluated with immunohistochemistry.
Results: Compared to the PH controls, significantly higher expression and intensity of NLRC4 inflammasome was observed in the PD and PD with T2DM groups, with a significantly greater expression in the PD+T2DM group (p<0.05). In all three groups, NLRC4 expression (mean percentage, intensity) and T. denticola levels showed a significant positive correlation (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The subgingival plaque, T. denticola levels in PD were significantly related to NLRC4 expression, both in the presence and absence of T2DM. NLRC4 activation possibly plays a role in establishing a hyperinflammatory state in diabetes mellitus modified PD.

Keywords: NLRC4 inflammasome, Treponema denticola, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, immunohistochemistry, qPCR, periplasmic flagella

---

Tip II Diabetes Mellituslu Evre III/IV Periodontitiste NLRC4 Ýnflamasom Ekspresyonu ve Treponema denticola ile Korelasyonu

Sumi Priyadarshini¹, Devapriya Appukuttan¹, Dhayanand Victor¹, Santhosh Venkadassalapathy¹, Vanaja Krishna Naik^2
1Department of Periodontics, SRM Dental College, Chennai, India
²Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Leeds, UK

Amaç: Bu çalýþmada, periodontitis (PD) ve Tip 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) olan bireylerde, kronik enflamasyondaki rollerini anlamak amacýyla NLRC4 inflamasom ekspresyon ve Treponema denticola (T. denticola) seviyeleri ile korelasyonunun deðerlendirilmesi amaçlanmýþtýr.
Gereç ve Yöntem: Toplam elli bir denek dahil edilen çalýþma þu þekilde gruplandýrýlmýþtýr: Sistemik ve periodontal olarak saðlýklý (PH, n=17), sistemik olarak saðlýklý ancak PD’li (PD, n=17) ve Tip 2 DM ve periodontitisli (PD+T2DM, n=17). Bölgeye özgü sondalama cebi derinliði, klinik ataþman seviyesi, plak indeksi ve gingival indeksi kaydedildikten daha sonra, hastalýk durumunu gösteren bölgelerden internal bevel insizyon kullanýlarak subgingival plak ve gingival dokusu biyopsisi örnekleri alýnmýþtýr. T. denticola, qPCR kullanýlarak ve NLRC4 ekspresyonu ise, immünohistokimya methodu ile deðerlendirilmiþtir.
Bulgular: PH kontrolleriyle karþýlaþtýrýldýðýnda, PD-T2DM grubunda NLRC4 ekspresyonu daha anlamlý olmak üzere (p<0.05), PD ve PD+T2DM grubunda NLRC4 inflamasom yoðunluðu ve ekspresyonu anlamlý derecede yüksek saptandý. Her üç grupta da NLRC4 ekspresyonu (ortalama yüzde, yoðunluk) ve T. denticola seviyeleri anlamlý bir pozitif korelasyon gösterdi (p<0.05).
Sonuç: Periodontitisteki subgingival plak, T. denticola seviyeleri, hem T2DM varlýðýnda hem de yokluðunda NLRC4 ekspresyonu ile önemli ölçüde iliþkilidir. NLRC4 aktivasyonu muhtemelen diabetes mellitus ile modifiye periodontitiste hiperenflamatuvar bir durumun oluþmasýnda rol oynamaktadýr.

Anahtar Kelimeler: NLRC4 enflamasom, Treponema denticola, Tip 2 diabetes mellitus, immünohistokimya, qPCR, periplazmik flagella

---

CITE