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PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Measuring levels of key proteins in patients' saliva may be a relatively easy way for dentists and even patients themselves to track the progression of gum disease (periodontitis), suggests a new study led by Penn Dental Medicine researchers. In the study, the researchers monitored and tested saliva samples from more than 400 patients for up to a year and a half. They found that on average, patients with moderate to severe progression of periodontitis showed substantial increases in nine inflammation-related signaling proteins in saliva. The study appears in the December Journal of Clinical Periodontology, a 50th anniversary edition that showcases particularly high-quality research. "One can imagine a saliva test kit, based on such findings, that dentists could use and even periodontitis patients could use at home—it could be a very useful personalized-dentistry tool for assessing risk and tailoring care," says study lead author Flavia Teles,DDS, MS, DMSc, Associate Professor, Department of Basic & Translational Sciences, at Penn Dental Medicine. Between 20 and 50 percent of the global population have some level of periodontitis, including about 64 million people in the U.S. If untreated, this chronic bacterial infection and inflammation of gums often leads to the loss of the bone that anchors teeth, which can cause tooth loss. This study enrolled 302 individuals with early to moderate/severe periodontitis, and 113 individuals without periodontitis. Subjects' periodontitis status and progression were assessed every two months for a year. They also had saliva and blood samples taken; the saliva samples were tested for 10 inflammation-linked proteins, and the blood samples for five. After a year, researchers gave periodontitis subjects standard non-surgical periodontal therapy and checked them again three and six months later. The results showed that periodontitis patients who had the most disease progression during the year had significantly higher levels of several inflammation-related signaling proteins in their saliva. These included interferon-gamma, IL-6, VEGF, IL-1β and MMP-8. Following treatment, these levels subsided. The levels of such proteins in subjects' blood did not differ significantly by degree of disease progression, although MMP-8, MMP-9, and C-reactive protein, did fall significantly following treatment. The findings suggest that changes in levels of inflammation-related proteins in saliva over time can help assess the risk of periodontitis progression as well as treatment effectiveness —and that blood levels also may be helpful in the latter case. Contact: Beth Adams, [email protected] SOURCE PENN DENTAL MEDICINE WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

FRIDAY, Dec. 20, 2024 -- An existing drug might be able to treat an autoimmune disorder that causes dry eye, dry mouth, fatigue and muscle or joint pain. Baricitinib (Olumiant), a drug currently used to treat rheumatoid arthritis , appears to effectively curb the symptoms of Sjögren’s disease, according to results from lab mice published in a new study. The drug does this by suppressing the malfunctioning immune signals that drive Sjögren’s, researchers report in the journal Science Translational Medicine . “Not only did we dissect the underlying cause for Sjögren’s disease in our mouse model, but we correlated these findings to the disease’s classification criteria and genetic signatures in humans,” senior researcher Dr. Stefan Feske , a professor of pathology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, said in a university news release. “Moreover, I think using baricitinib has great promise in the treatment of Sjögren’s disease going forward,” Feske added. Sjögren’s disease occurs when the immune system attacks the glands that produce saliva and tears, resulting in dry mouth and eyes, researchers said. Patients can also experience fatigue, joint and muscle pain , rashes and lung inflammation. It’s the second most common rheumatic autoimmune disease in the United States, three times more common than related diseases like lupus and multiple sclerosis, according to the Sjögren’s Foundation. As many as 4 million Americans -- 1 in every 70 people -- are affected by Sjögren’s, the foundation says. “Not being able to produce tears or saliva can have a great impact on one’s life,” researcher Rodrigo Lacruz , a professor of molecular pathobiology at NYU College of Dentistry, said in a news release. “If you can’t produce saliva, it may hamper your speech and your ability to process food, increases your risk for developing cavities, and overall worsens one’s health,” Lacruz added. Researchers decided to focus on salivary gland cells and immune cells to better understand the mechanisms that cause Sjögren’s. They discovered that an inflammatory chemical produced by the immune system, interferon gamma, appears to interfere with saliva production in mice. Interferon gamma levels are typically held in check by T cells that regulate immune response, researchers said. But if a genetic defect inhibits T cell function, too much interferon gamma is produced, resulting in symptoms similar to those of Sjögren’s, results show. “It came down to a defect in regulatory T cells and an over-activation of the cells that produce an inflammatory cytokine called interferon gamma,” Feske said. “Interferon gamma was absolutely critical for causing dysfunction of salivary glands in our mouse model.” Given that, researchers figured that a drug that suppresses interferon action might be able to treat Sjögren’s. Baricitinib is a JAK inhibitor, a class of drugs that suppress immune system signals in the body that result from interferon. Mice given baricitinib had better saliva production and less inflammation, researchers found. To see if this might work in humans, researchers examined blood samples from patients with Sjögren’s. They found a strong correlation between mice and humans regarding the underlying genetics of Sjogren’s, results show. However, clinical trials will be needed to prove that baricitinib or some other JAK inhibitor can effectively treat Sjogren’s, researchers concluded. Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.

FRIDAY, Dec. 20, 2024 -- An existing drug might be able to treat an autoimmune disorder that causes dry eye, dry mouth, fatigue and muscle or joint pain. Baricitinib ( Olumiant ), a drug currently used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, appears to effectively curb the symptoms of Sjögren’s disease, according to results from lab mice published in a new study. The drug does this by suppressing the malfunctioning immune signals that drive Sjögren’s, researchers report in the journal Science Translational Medicine . “Not only did we dissect the underlying cause for Sjögren’s disease in our mouse model, but we correlated these findings to the disease’s classification criteria and genetic signatures in humans,” senior researcher Dr. Stefan Feske , a professor of pathology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, said in a university news release. “Moreover, I think using baricitinib has great promise in the treatment of Sjögren’s disease going forward,” Feske added. Sjögren’s disease occurs when the immune system attacks the glands that produce saliva and tears, resulting in dry mouth and eyes, researchers said. Patients can also experience fatigue, joint and muscle pain , rashes and lung inflammation. It’s the second most common rheumatic autoimmune disease in the United States, three times more common than related diseases like lupus and multiple sclerosis, according to the Sjögren’s Foundation. As many as 4 million Americans -- 1 in every 70 people -- are affected by Sjögren’s, the foundation says. “Not being able to produce tears or saliva can have a great impact on one’s life,” researcher Rodrigo Lacruz , a professor of molecular pathobiology at NYU College of Dentistry, said in a news release. “If you can’t produce saliva, it may hamper your speech and your ability to process food, increases your risk for developing cavities, and overall worsens one’s health,” Lacruz added. Researchers decided to focus on salivary gland cells and immune cells to better understand the mechanisms that cause Sjögren’s. They discovered that an inflammatory chemical produced by the immune system, interferon gamma, appears to interfere with saliva production in mice. Interferon gamma levels are typically held in check by T cells that regulate immune response, researchers said. But if a genetic defect inhibits T cell function, too much interferon gamma is produced, resulting in symptoms similar to those of Sjögren’s, results show. “It came down to a defect in regulatory T cells and an over-activation of the cells that produce an inflammatory cytokine called interferon gamma,” Feske said. “Interferon gamma was absolutely critical for causing dysfunction of salivary glands in our mouse model.” Given that, researchers figured that a drug that suppresses interferon action might be able to treat Sjögren’s. Baricitinib is a JAK inhibitor, a class of drugs that suppress immune system signals in the body that result from interferon. Mice given baricitinib had better saliva production and less inflammation, researchers found. To see if this might work in humans, researchers examined blood samples from patients with Sjögren’s. They found a strong correlation between mice and humans regarding the underlying genetics of Sjogren’s, results show. However, clinical trials will be needed to prove that baricitinib or some other JAK inhibitor can effectively treat Sjogren’s, researchers concluded. Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.