Abstract
Clinical studies have shown that metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia are associated with increased risk of oral-related diseases, such as periodontitis and Sjögren’s syndrome. Although changes in the immune system are critical in both of these metabolic disorders and oral-related diseases, the mechanism underlying the interaction between these diseases remains largely unknown. Obesity and type 2 diabetes are known to be associated with higher concentrations of free fatty acids in blood. Among free fatty acids, saturated fatty acids such as palmitic acid have been demonstrated to induce inflammatory responses mainly via the innate immune systems, and to be involved in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes in tissues such as adipose tissue, liver, pancreas, and skeletal muscle. Here, we highlight recent advances in evidence for the potential involvement of palmitic acid in the pathogenesis of periodontitis and Sjögren’s syndrome, and discuss the possibility that improvement of the lipid profile could be a new strategy for the treatment of these diseases.
Highlights
Obesity is a global health issue which is related to morbidity and mortality of metabolic diseases
The level of free fatty acids (FFAs) in blood is elevated in obese individuals and patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), as well as in animal models of these conditions [2], and is related to augmented lipolysis in adipocytes and an increased intake of dietary fats [3]
Clinical studies have demonstrated that obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome are associated with an increased risk of periodontitis [14,15,16], suggesting that lipid-related disorders, which are present in these diseases, may increase the risk of developing periodontitis
Summary
Obesity is a global health issue which is related to morbidity and mortality of metabolic diseases. Potential intracellular mechanisms whereby FFAs cause insulin resistance have been explored, and a role of several inflammatory signaling networks has emerged. Among FFAs, saturated fatty acids, such as palmitic acid (Pal) and stearic acid, induce inflammatory responses mainly via the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway [9,10]. Clinical studies have demonstrated that obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome are associated with an increased risk of periodontitis [14,15,16], suggesting that lipid-related disorders, which are present in these diseases, may increase the risk of developing periodontitis. We introduce the potential involvement of FFAs, especially Pal, in the pathogenesis of periodontitis and SS, and discuss whether improvement of the lipid profile may be a new strategy for treating these diseases
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