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Porphyromonas gingivalis disrupts hippocampal circadian clock via PI3K/AKT pathway, exacerbating Alzheimer‐like pathology
Chunmei Huang, Qin Cai, Zeru Feng, Zhang Chenze, Zhiqiang Luo, Xingqun Cheng, H Wu. Alzheimer s & Dementia, 2026-06-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
P. gingivalis-induced periodontitis dampened hippocampal Bmal1 rhythms, lowered p-AKT, activated glia, and elevated Aβ and interleukin 1β (IL-1β). In glial cells, P. gingivalis flattened Bmal1 oscillation; PI3K blockade mimicked these effects, whereas AKT agonist restored rhythms and suppressed GFAP/Iba1/IL-1β. Bmal1 knockdown alone triggered glial activation and cytokine release. P. gingivalis oral infection suppresses PI3K/AKT signaling, destabilizing glial circadian clocks and unleashing neuroinflammation that fosters hippocampal AD-like pathology; rescuing PI3K/AKT or clock function may mitigate the oral-brain axis in AD.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Huang, C., Cai, Q., Feng, Z., Chenze, Z., Luo, Z., Cheng, X., et al. (2026). Porphyromonas gingivalis disrupts hippocampal circadian clock via PI3K/AKT pathway, exacerbating Alzheimer‐like pathology. Alzheimer s & Dementia. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.71543
Vancouver
Huang C, Cai Q, Feng Z, Chenze Z, Luo Z, Cheng X, et al. Porphyromonas gingivalis disrupts hippocampal circadian clock via PI3K/AKT pathway, exacerbating Alzheimer‐like pathology. Alzheimer s & Dementia. 2026. doi:10.1002/alz.71543. PMID: 42271186.
BibTeX
@article{huang2026-42271186,
author = {Huang, Chunmei and Cai, Qin and Feng, Zeru and Chenze, Zhang and Luo, Zhiqiang and Cheng, Xingqun and Wu, H},
title = {{Porphyromonas gingivalis disrupts hippocampal circadian clock via PI3K/AKT pathway, exacerbating Alzheimer‐like pathology}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1002/alz.71543},
pmid = {42271186},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.71543}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- P. gingivalis-induced periodontitis dampened hippocampal Bmal1 rhythms, lowered p-AKT, activated glia, and elevated Aβ and interleukin 1β (IL-1β).
- In glial cells, P. gingivalis flattened Bmal1 oscillation; PI3K blockade mimicked these effects, whereas AKT agonist restored rhythms and suppressed GFAP/Iba1/IL-1β.
- Bmal1 knockdown alone triggered glial activation and cytokine release.
- P. gingivalis oral infection suppresses PI3K/AKT signaling, destabilizing glial circadian clocks and unleashing neuroinflammation that fosters hippocampal AD-like pathology; rescuing PI3K/AKT or clock function may mitigate the oral-brain axis in AD.
Why it matters
In this work, P. gingivalis oral infection suppressed PI3K/AKT signaling, disrupted glial circadian clocks and increased neuroinflammation and Alzheimer-like pathology in the hippocampus, while rescuing PI3K/AKT or clock function mitigated these effects. The authors suggest this pathway may be a target, but the findings are experimental and do not establish a treatment or prevention for people.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 36/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer s & Dementia) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia: journal h-index 228 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 2 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.0 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 2 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 0 / 4 | Last-listed author H Wu: h-index 2 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Sichuan University: institution h-index 720 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 42271186) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 36 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
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