O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine transferase regulates macrophage polarization in diabetic periodontitis: In vivo and in vitro study

Background: Periodontitis, when exacerbated by diabetes, is characterized by increased M1 macrophage polarization and decreased M2 polarization. O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAcylation), catalyzed by O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), promotes inflammatory responses in diabetic periodontitis (DP). Additionally, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase regulates macrophage polarization. However, the interplay between OGT, macrophage polarization, and p38 signaling in the progression of DP remains unexplored.

Aim: To investigate the effect of OGT on macrophage polarization in DP and its role in mediating O-GlcNAcylation of p38.

Methods: For in vivo experiments, mice were divided into four groups: Control, DP model, model + short hairpin (sh) RNA-negative control, and model + sh-OGT. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin, followed by ligation and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration to induce periodontitis. The impact of OGT was assessed by injecting sh-OGT lentivirus. Maxillary bone destruction was evaluated using micro-computed tomography analysis and tartrate-resistant Acid Phosphatase staining, while macrophage polarization was determined through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry. For in vitro experiments, RAW264.7 cells were treated with LPS and high glucose (HG) (25 mmol/L D-glucose) to establish a cell model of DP. OGT was inhibited by OGT Inhibitor (OSMI4) treatment and knocked down by sh-OGT transfection. M1/M2 polarization was analyzed using qPCR, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry. Levels of O-GlcNAcylation were measured using immunoprecipitation and western blotting.

Results: Our results demonstrated that M1 macrophage polarization led to maxillary bone loss in DP mice, associated with elevated O-GlcNAcylation and OGT levels. Knockdown of OGT promoted the shift from M1 to M2 macrophage polarization in both mouse periodontal tissues and LPS + HG-induced RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, LPS + HG enhanced the O-GlcNAcylation of p38 in RAW264.7 cells. OGT interacted with p38 to promote its O-GlcNAcylation at residues A28, T241, and T347, as well as its phosphorylation at residue Y221.

Conclusion: Inhibition of OGT-mediated p38 O-GlcNAcylation deactivates the p38 pathway by suppressing its self-phosphorylation, thereby promoting M1 to M2 macrophage polarization and mitigating DP. These findings suggested that modulating macrophage polarization through regulation of O-GlcNAcylation may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for treating DP.

Diabetic periodontitis; Macrophage polarization; O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine; O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine transferase; p38.