Natural Killer-Like B Cells Secreting Interleukin-18 Induces a Proinflammatory Response in Periodontitis.

Abstract

Natural killer-like B (NKB) cells, which are newly identified immune subsets, reveal a critical immunoregulatory property in the eradication of microbial infection via the secretion of interleukin (IL)-18. For the first time, this study investigated the role of NKB cells in secreting IL-18 in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. In this study, NKB cells' percentage and IL-18 concentration in peripheral blood and periodontium in periodontitis patients was measured using flow cytometry and ELISA. The role of IL-18 in regulating periodontal inflammation was examined in a Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis)-induced periodontitis murine model. Peripheral and periodontal-infiltrating CD3-CD19+NKp46+ NKB cells, which were the main source of IL-18, were elevated and correlated with attachment loss in periodontitis patients. In vitro IL-18 stimulation promoted proinflammatory cytokine production in periodontal ligament cells. P. gingivalis infection induced elevation of IL-18 receptor in periodontium in a periodontitis murine model. IL-18 neutralization not only suppressed P. gingivalis-induced alveolar bone resorption, but also inhibited recruitment of antigen-non-specific inflammatory cells into the periodontium, probably via dampening expressions of cytokines, chemokines, and matrix metalloproteinases. NKB cells secreting IL-18 appeared to be an important mediator in the inflammatory response following intraoral P. gingivalis infection. These findings might be relevant to the development of immunotherapies for periodontitis.

• Authors: Ye Zhang, Wei Kuang, Danfeng Li, Yu Li, Yi Feng, Xinwei Lyu, Gao-Bo Huang, Jian-Qi Lian, Xiao-Fei Yang, Cheng Hu, Yajuan Xie, Song Xue, Jiali Tan
• Journal: Frontiers in immunology (Front Immunol) Vol. 12 Pg. 641562 ( 2021) ISSN: 1664-3224 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 33679805 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 Zhang, Kuang, Li, Li, Feng, Lyu, Huang, Lian, Yang, Hu, Xie, Xue and Tan.

Chemical References

• Interleukin-18

Topics

• Adult
• Animals
• B-Lymphocyte Subsets (immunology)
• Bacteroidaceae Infections (immunology)
• Female
• Humans
• Inflammation (immunology)
• Interleukin-18 (immunology)
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Middle Aged
• Periodontitis (immunology)
• Porphyromonas gingivalis