AI Summary
Statins have shown promise in reducing gum disease inflammation by influencing the behavior of immune cells called macrophages. A recent study conducted in cell cultures demonstrated that these cholesterol-lowering drugs can help improve gum health and reduce the risk of heart disease. Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina suggest that introducing statins to periodontal disease conditions may modify the macrophage response, potentially offering a new approach to treating inflammatory conditions like gum disease. The findings will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Could taking statins benefit your mouth in addition to your arteries? A new study conducted in cell cultures showed that cholesterol-lowering drugs help to dampen the inflammation associated with periodontal disease by altering the behavior of macrophages, a type of immune cell.
Statins are the most common type of prescription medication in the United States today, taken by over 40 million Americans to lower cholesterol. The study suggests these drugs improve gum health and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Subramanya Pandruvada, an assistant professor in the College of Dental Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina, oversaw the work.
During our study, we replicated specific conditions in periodontal disease and demonstrated that introducing statins to our in vitro model modifies macrophage response. This allowed us to explore how medication like statins can help us treat inflammatory conditions such as periodontal disease.”
Subramanya Pandruvada, Assistant Professor, College of Dental Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina
Pandruvada will present the new research at Discover BMB, the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, which is being held March 23ā26 in San Antonio. The study’s lead authors are Waleed Alkakhan, a graduate dental resident in periodontology, and Nico Farrar, a dental student at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Periodontal disease occurs when the growth of bacteria in the gums causes the immune system to mount an inflammatory response, contributing to symptoms such as swelling, bleeding and bone degradation. Untreated, it can lead to