Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41358003›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in cell and developmental biology2025

Acetylcholine in the gingival epithelium drives the pathogenesis of periodontitis.

Shihan Xu, Jiaxin Guo, Shiwen Yang, Bin Cheng, Juan Xia

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in cell and developmental biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Shihan Xu *Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Jiaxin Guo *Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Shiwen YangHospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Bin ChengHospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Juan XiaHospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Periodontitis is a highly prevalent chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the progressive destruction of periodontal tissues, which can lead to tooth loss and affect systemic health. This pathological process is driven by both epithelial barrier disruption and a self-perpetuating cycle of dysregulated inflammatory immune responses. Although neurotransmitters, including acetylcholine, are abundant in saliva and gingival crevicular fluid, their role as key mediators of immune homeostasis in the pathogenesis of periodontitis remains poorly understood. Methods: Utilizing single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data (205,334 cells, 40 human gingival samples) and gingival spatial transcriptomics data (46,230-25 μm Results: Our findings reveal that cholinergic signals change with the progression of periodontitis and that gingival epithelial cells possess an extensive distribution of non-α7-type nicotinic receptors. The acetylcholine-degrading enzyme, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), is primarily expressed by myeloid immune cells that extensively infiltrate the epithelium, and its expression is significantly upregulated following periodontal treatment. In human oral keratinocytes (HOKs), acetylcholine played a dual role: it promoted epithelial barrier repair by reversing Conclusion: In conclusion, our results reveal a complex, multifaceted role for acetylcholine in periodontal pathogenesis, highlighting its ability to both protect the epithelial barrier and drive inflammatory tissue destruction. These findings establish a new "neuro-epithelial-immune axis" in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease and reveal potential targets for therapeutic intervention.

Indexed as

acetylcholinecholinergic signalinggingival epitheliumperiodontitissingle-cell RNA sequencingspatial transcriptomics

Identifiers

PMID41358003
PMCPMC12675406

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.