Er:YAG Laser Alleviates Inflammaging in Diabetes-Associated Periodontitis via Activation CTBP1-AS2/miR-155/SIRT1 Axis

Abstract

Periodontitis is a significant health concern for individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM), characterized by inflammation and periodontium loss. Hyperglycaemia in DM exacerbates susceptibility to periodontitis by inducing inflammaging in the host immune system. The use of erbium-doped yttrium–aluminum–garnet laser (ErL) in periodontitis treatment has gained attention, but its impact on diabetic-associated periodontitis (DP) and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we simulated DP by exposing human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLFs) to advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and lipopolysaccharides from P. gingivalis (Pg-LPS). Subsequently, we evaluated the impact of ErL on the cells’ wound healing and assessed their inflammaging markers. ErL treatment promoted wound healing and suppressed inflammaging activities, including cell senescence, IL-6 secretion, and p65 phosphorylation. Moreover, the laser-targeted cells were observed to have upregulated expression of CTBP1-AS2, which, when overexpressed, enhanced wound healing ability and repressed inflammaging. Moreover, bioinformatic analysis revealed that CTBP1-AS2 acted as a sponge for miR155 and upregulated SIRT1. In conclusion, ErL demonstrated the ability to improve wound healing and mitigate inflammaging in diabetic periodontal tissue through the CTBP1-AS2/miR-155/SIRT1 axis. Targeting this axis could represent a promising therapeutic approach for preventing periodontitis in individuals with DM.