Proteome-Guided Drug Target Discovery for Periodontitis

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease driven by immune dysfunction and microbial imbalance. This study aims to identify circulating druggable proteins causally linked to the disease.

We integrated proteomics data from deCODE genetics with periodontitis genome-wide association studies (GWAS) from the Million Veteran Program to identify proteins associated with periodontitis. Findings were replicated using GWAS data from the Gene-Lifestyle Interactions in Dental Endpoints consortium. Causal associations were validated using genetic and statistical methods, and the identified proteins were assessed for biological relevance and druggability.

Among the 2088 evaluated proteins, three showed robust evidence of causal association with periodontitis: FGF2 (fibroblast growth factor 2) (odds ratio [OR]: 1.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.032-1.082), AZGP1 (zinc-alpha-2-glycoprotein) (OR: 1.12, 95% CI 1.058-1.189) and BTC (betacellulin) (OR: 0.86, 95% CI 0.789-0.942). Replication analysis confirmed associations for 18 proteins, with 16 showing high colocalisation. Further evaluation of drug target databases revealed indirect links between the identified proteins and approved therapies for inflammatory conditions, suggesting potential therapeutic relevance.

This study identifies three circulating proteins-FGF2, AZGP1 and BTC-as causally associated with periodontitis, highlighting their potential as therapeutic targets. These results provide a foundation for future research into targeted therapies for periodontitis.