Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42388081›Full record

ArticleInternational endodontic journal2026

Endodontic Treatment of Apical Periodontitis Mitigates Systemic Inflammation and Restores the Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity in an In Vitro Model.

Loredana Bergandi, Mario Alovisi, Elena Tachis, Nicola Scotti, Andrea Baldi, Iris Chiara Salaroglio, Sabrina Digiovanni, Lorena Charrier, Francesca Silvagno, Damiano Pasqualini

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Article in International endodontic journal, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Loredana BergandiDepartment of Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, Piedmont, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0951-7340
Mario AlovisiDepartment of Surgical Sciences, Dental School, Endodontics Unit, University of Turin, Turin, Piedmont, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2523-8149
Elena TachisDepartment of Surgical Sciences, Dental School, Endodontics Unit, University of Turin, Turin, Piedmont, Italy.
Nicola ScottiDepartment of Surgical Sciences, Dental School, Endodontics Unit, University of Turin, Turin, Piedmont, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7380-1675
Andrea BaldiDepartment of Surgical Sciences, Dental School, Endodontics Unit, University of Turin, Turin, Piedmont, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0087-5627
Iris Chiara SalaroglioDepartment of Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, Piedmont, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6043-3794
Sabrina DigiovanniDepartment of Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, Piedmont, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1815-3285
Lorena CharrierDepartment of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, Turin, Piedmont, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1300-4508
Francesca SilvagnoDepartment of Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, Piedmont, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8800-9135
Damiano PasqualiniDepartment of Surgical Sciences, Dental School, Endodontics Unit, University of Turin, Turin, Piedmont, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0365-0626

Funding

Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca PNC 0000001 D3 4 Health project
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimA growing body of research supports an association between periapical inflammation and an increased risk of various systemic effects. However, there is currently no scientific evidence demonstrating a causal relationship between this inflammation and changes in epithelial or endothelial permeability in patients with apical periodontitis (AP). This study aimed to evaluate the potential association between AP, circulating inflammatory cytokines known to affect cellular permeability, and serum proteins associated with an impaired cellular barrier permeability. Additionally, we investigated the effect of endodontic treatment on in vitro endothelial barrier integrity. METHODOLOGY: A total of 27 patients with AP and 27 healthy control subjects were enrolled. AP patients underwent root canal treatment and were followed up at 6 and 12 months post-treatment. Serum levels of human ZO-1, Claudin-5, and VE-cadherin were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). An in vitro model of the microvascular endothelial blood-brain barrier (hCMEC/D3 cells) was used to assess the biological activity of patient sera on barrier function and cellular permeability.

resultsAt baseline, patients with AP showed significantly higher serum levels of ZO-1 and Claudin-5 compared with controls (p < 0.001), whereas VE-cadherin levels did not differ significantly between groups. Serum ZO-1 and Claudin-5 levels progressively decreased at 6 and 12 months following root canal treatment. In adjusted analyses, the baseline between-group differences for ZO-1 and Claudin-5 remained significant after adjustment for BMI and smoking status. ZO-1 and Claudin-5 levels showed moderate correlations with IL-1β and IL-6 in the AP group at baseline. In vitro, exposure to baseline AP sera increased endothelial permeability, indicating barrier disruption, while sera collected after treatment did not impair barrier integrity. Moreover, cellular ZO-1 expression remained stable in cells treated with control sera but was markedly reduced after exposure to sera from untreated AP patients (t0), whereas post-treatment sera (t6 and t12) restored ZO-1 expression to control levels.

conclusionsSystemic inflammation in patients with apical periodontitis to deranged endothelial barrier function. Successful endodontic treatment was associated with reduced levels of inflammatory cytokines and the restoration of serum and cellular proteins essential for barrier integrity.

Indexed as

Blood-Brain BarrierInflammationPeriapical PeriodontitisRoot Canal TherapyAdultAntigens, CDCadherin 5CadherinsClaudin-5CytokinesEnzyme-Linked Immunosorbent AssayFemaleHumansIn Vitro TechniquesMaleMiddle AgedAntigens, CDCadherin 5CadherinsClaudin-5CytokinesTJP1 protein, humanZonula Occludens-1 Proteinapical periodontitisbarrier integritycellular permeabilityinflammation

Identifiers

PMID42388081
PMCPMC13674835

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.