Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41948871›Full record

ArticleMediators of inflammation2026

Signaling Through SCFA Receptors Gpr43 and Gpr109a Drives Pro-Inflammatory M1 Macrophage Polarization in Periodontitis.

Kun Liu, Ruolin Wang, Lingxue Kong, Lisi Ai

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Mediators of inflammation, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

4 authors.

Kun LiuDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Jinan Stomatological Hospital, Jinan, 250001, China, jnskqyy.com.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3092-1377
Ruolin WangDepartment of Central Laboratory, Jinan Stomatological Hospital, No. 101 Jingliu Road, Shizhong District, Jinan, 250001, Shandong, China, jnskqyy.com.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4113-3179
Lingxue KongDepartment of Central Laboratory, Jinan Stomatological Hospital, No. 101 Jingliu Road, Shizhong District, Jinan, 250001, Shandong, China, jnskqyy.com.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7137-3149
Lisi AiDepartment of Central Laboratory, Jinan Stomatological Hospital, No. 101 Jingliu Road, Shizhong District, Jinan, 250001, Shandong, China, jnskqyy.com.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2451-7653

Funding

Science and Technology Development Program of Jinan Municipal Health Commission 2022-2-177
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis study investigated the link between an imbalance in microbiota-derived short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and dysregulated host immunity in periodontitis, focusing on the metabolic reprograming of inflammatory macrophages.

methodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of SCFA levels. Bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data from human gingival tissue (n = 24) were analyzed for differential expression and pathway enrichment, with immune cell composition estimated by Cell-type Identification by Estimating Relative Subsets of RNA Transcripts (CIBERSORT). Mouse single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) data were integrated, and myeloid cells (MCs) were subset for detailed clustering, differential analysis, and pseudotime trajectory reconstruction.

resultsMeta-analysis indicated a decreasing, though nonsignificant, trend in butyrate levels in periodontitis. Bulk RNA-seq identified 692 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) enriched in immune and cytokine signaling pathways. Immune deconvolution revealed an increased proportion of M1 macrophages and Tregs, alongside a decrease in M2 macrophages. Single-cell analysis confirmed the significant expansion of M1-like macrophages, which highly expressed SCFA receptors (Gpr43 and Gpr109a), inflammatory transcription factors (Nfkb1 and Hif1a), and effector molecules (Il1b). The pseudotime trajectory demonstrated a continuous M2-to-M1 polarization, marked by a decline in M2 markers and a rise in M1 markers.

conclusionPeriodontitis is characterized by SCFA metabolic imbalance and a shift in MCs toward a pro-inflammatory M1 state. The upregulation of SCFA receptors and the NF-κB/HIF-1 axis in M1 macrophages suggests an "SCFA receptor-metabolic sensing-inflammatory transcription" mechanism drives disease progression, providing a rationale for therapeutic strategies targeting this pathway.

Indexed as

MacrophagesPeriodontitisReceptors, Cell SurfaceReceptors, G-Protein-CoupledAnimalsFatty Acids, VolatileHumansHypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha SubunitInflammationMiceSignal TransductionFatty Acids, VolatileFFAR2 protein, humanHCAR2 protein, humanHypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha SubunitReceptors, Cell SurfaceReceptors, G-Protein-Coupledmacrophagemetabolic reprogramingmicrobiota metabolitesmultiomics analysisperiodontitissingle-cell RNA sequencing

Identifiers

PMID41948871
PMCPMC13058726

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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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.