Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 27, 2026

Murine Model of Advanced Periodontitis Induced by Nylon Ligature in the Second Upper Molar
Published on: May 30, 2025
Roles of Wnt3a and Dkk1 in experimental periodontitis
Jianqi Liu1, Xiaobin Ren2, Mingzhu Zhang2
1Department of Dentistry, the Affiliated Yan'an Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Background/Purpose:
Periodontitis is an inflammatory, destructive disease caused by periodontal bacteria, and its molecular mechanism remains unclear. The aims of this study are to evaluate the expressions of Wnt3a and Dkk1 in experimental periodontitis (EP) and preliminarily explore their roles in periodontal diseases.
Materials And Methods:
A total of 64 six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal group and an EP group. The EP group was prepared by using silk ligature combined with intraoral bacteria inoculation. To assess the periodontal inflammation and bone destruction extent, hematoxylin and eosin staining and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining was performed 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks after the modeling, respectively, and immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were also performed to detect the changes of Wnt3a and Dkk1 in periodontal tissue and plasma.
Results:
Wnt3a expression was significantly decreased in the EP group when compared with the normal group (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, Dkk1 expression was significantly increased in the EP group when compared with the normal group (P < 0.05).
Conclusion:
The expression of Wnt3a and Dkk1 was well correlated with EP. It is suggested that Wnt3a and Dkk1 may be involved in periodontal diseases.
Related Concept Videos
The Role of Culture
Role of Septins
Cellular Functions of Septins
Recent studies have revealed the multifaceted roles of septins in various cellular processes such as cytokinesis, ciliogenesis, and neurogenesis. Septins act as scaffolds and...
Role of ER in the Secretory Pathway
Components of the secretory pathway
About a third of proteins synthesized in the cell are sorted via the secretory route. They shuffle between different compartments in membrane-bound vesicles until they reach their final destination. The main intracellular compartments involved...
Role of Amygdala in Memory
One of the...
Role of Neurotransmitters in Memory
Glutamate and Synaptic Plasticity
Glutamate, the brain's main excitatory neurotransmitter, is...
Role of Hippocampus in Memory

