Biology subjects

Naqvi, R. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Naqvi, R. A..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Longitudinal Salivary Immunophenotyping Reveals Distinct Cellular Signatures of Periodontal Disease Activity and Resolution

AimTo investigate whether salivary immune cell profiling can serve as a non-invasive approach to monitor periodontal disease activity and therapeutic response by characterizing innate and adaptive immune cell dynamics in periodontitis. Materials and MethodsThis longitudinal study included systemically healthy adults with periodontitis and healthy controls. Periodontal parameters (PPD, BOP, plaque/calculus, and radiographic bone loss) were recorded by calibrated examiners ({kappa}=0.85) following established criteria. Stimulated saliva and gingival biopsies were collected before and 4-6 weeks after non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT), and from healthy controls. Multiparametric flow cytometry was used to characterize myeloid and lymphoid cell populations and polarization markers. Bacterial transcripts and host inflammatory markers were assessed by qRT-PCR. Statistical analyses were performed using one-way ANOVA. ResultsPeriodontitis subjects exhibited significantly elevated salivary bacterial transcripts, which decreased but did not normalize following NSPT. Both myeloid and lymphoid immune cell populations increased in periodontitis compared with healthy controls and declined after therapy. This was accompanied by a pronounced pro-inflammatory shift with elevated IFN-{gamma}-producing macrophages, dendritic cells, Th1/Th17 cells, and B cells, including the novel identification of IFN-{gamma}-producing B cells in saliva and mirrors the gingival immune cell profiles. In contrast, anti-inflammatory populations (IL-10-producing myeloid cells, Tr1 cells, and regulatory B cells) were reduced in disease and partially restored following NSPT. ConclusionsSalivary immunophenotyping non-invasively monitors PD activity and therapeutic response by capturing dynamic immune changes that reflect gingival signatures and track post-therapy resolution. Clinical RelevanceO_ST_ABSScientific rationaleC_ST_ABSSalivary immune profiling offers a real-time, non-invasive tool for assessing periodontal disease status and treatment outcomes, with potential applications in precision diagnostics and personalized periodontal care. Principle findingsPeriodontitis was associated with increased salivary bacterial burden and a marked pro-inflammatory immune profile involving both innate and adaptive immune cells, including newly identified IFN-{gamma}-producing B cells. Non-surgical periodontal therapy partially restored anti-inflammatory immune responses and reduced inflammatory cell populations, supporting salivary immunophenotyping as a promising non-invasive biomarker approach for monitoring disease activity and treatment response. Practical implicationsSalivary immune cell profiling could serve as a simple, non-invasive tool to monitor periodontal disease activity and response to therapy in clinical practice. Identification of specific inflammatory cell subsets may also aid in developing personalized diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for periodontitis.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2026

Salivary microRNA Profiling of Long COVID Subjects Reveals Host-Encoded Regulators of Inflammation and Viral Persistence

Periodontal disease and COVID-19 are linked by convergent immunoinflammatory pathways, yet the molecular basis of their interaction remains poorly defined. Here, we present a comprehensive salivary microRNA profile from individuals with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, sampled approximately 3-6 months after diagnosis and meeting criteria for long COVID, providing new insight into the post-viral oral microenvironment. Salivary miRNA sequencing revealed widespread repression in patients with PD, consistent with persistent immune dysregulation. Relative to COVID-19-negative/PD-negative controls, thirty-two miRNAs were differentially expressed in COVID-19-positive/PD-positive individuals, all significantly downregulated. A similar signature was observed in a post-vaccination cohort for the selected dysregulated miRNAs. Integrative pathway analyses identified these miRNAs as regulators of core inflammatory circuits, including Ras, MAPK, and NF{kappa}B signaling, converging on IL-1{beta}- and TNF-centered networks relevant to both PD and COVID-19. Mechanistically, restoration of three downregulated miRNAs, miR- miR-30e-3p 106-3p-3p, and miR-652-3p attenuated NF{kappa}B activation and cytokine release in TLR-stimulated human oral keratinocytes, while their functional suppression using inhibitors potentiates inflammation. These miRNAs were also predicted to target SARS-CoV-2 spike and nucleocapsid transcripts, an interaction validated by dual-luciferase reporter assays. Their overexpression further reduced spike and nucleocapsid expression in Beta- and Omicron-infected epithelial cells, as measured by flow cytometry and RT-qPCR confirming host miRNAs as potent endogenous SARS-CoV-2 restriction factor. Together, these findings identify salivary host miRNAs as mechanistic regulators of oral inflammatory tone and viral persistence, establishing a molecular link between periodontal inflammation and post-COVID oral pathology.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2023

Co-transplantation with mesenchymal stem cells and endothelial cells improvise islet engraftment and survival in STZ treated hyperglycemic mice

Though intra-portal islet transplantation demonstrated as best suited strategy for the reversal of hyperglycemia without the threat of iatrogenic hyperglycemia in type 1 diabetes (T1D) in patients, the inferior quality of post-transplantation (tx) vascularization needs to be addressed for the maximization of post-tx islet survival. Therefore, in this study, we have first generated MSCs and endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) from mice bone marrow by in house optimized protocol and then 3-D co-cultured them with mice islets. Secretion of in the culture supernatant suggested the pro-angiogenic nature of 3D cultured mice islets. After 5 days post-tx of these pro-angiogenic islets in the omental pouch of syngeneic mice led to: 1) restoration of normoglycemia, 2) secretion of mouse C-peptide and 3) induction of angiogenic factors after 3 days of post-tx. The induction of angiogenic factors was done by RT-qPCR of omental biopsies. Importantly, pro-angiogenic islet recipient mice also demonstrated the clearance of glucose within 75 min, reflecting their efficient function and engraftment. Our results highlights needs of 3-D co-culture islets for superior quality post-tx islet vasculature and better engraftment - crux to improvise the challenges associated with post-tx islet vascularization and functions.

biochemistry↗