Shared immune-inflammatory mechanisms between ulcerative colitis and periodontitis: a multi-omics analysis.

BACKGROUND

Ulcerative colitis (UC) and periodontitis (PD) are chronic inflammatory diseases with increasing evidence of bidirectional communication through the oral-gut axis. However, the immunological mechanisms underlying their co-occurrence remain largely unclear.

METHODS

We conducted a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to evaluate potential causal relationships between UC and PD. Transcriptomic data from public repositories were integrated to identify shared differentially expressed genes. Immune-related genes were further screened using three machine learning approaches. Enrichment analysis and immune cell infiltration profiling were performed to explore underlying mechanisms. A rat model combining UC and PD was established to validate key findings in vivo.

RESULTS

MR analysis revealed a unidirectional causal effect of UC on PD. Among the intersected immune-related genes, CXCL6 was identified as a hub gene significantly upregulated in both UC and PD. It was associated with neutrophil infiltration and pathways related to chemokine signaling and mucosal barrier disruption. In a dual-disease rat model, CXCL6 expression was further elevated in colonic tissues compared to UC alone, aligning with aggravated epithelial damage.

CONCLUSION

Our study identifies a shared immune signature between UC and PD, highlighting CXCL6 as a pivotal mediator. These insights deepen understanding of oral-gut mucosal interactions and inform future biomarker and mechanistic studies.