Hepatocyte growth factor is protective in early stage but bone‐destructive in late stage of experimental periodontitis

Abstract Background and Objective Clinical studies found high levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) expression in patients with periodontitis. Studies suggest that HGF plays an important role in periodontitis, is involved in inflammation, and modulates alveolar bone integrity in periodontitis. This study aims to investigate the effects and mechanisms of HGF in the progression of experimental periodontitis. Methods We used silk thread ligation to induce periodontitis in HGF‐overexpressing transgenic (HGF‐Tg) and wild‐type C57BL/6J mice. The effects of HGF overexpression on alveolar bone destruction were assessed by microcomputed tomography imaging at baseline and on days 7, 14, 21, and 28. We analyzed the cytokines (IL‐6 and TNF‐α) and lymphocytes in periodontitis tissues by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry. The effects of HGF on alveolar bone destruction were further tested by quantifying the systemic bone metabolism markers CTXI and PINP and by RNA sequencing for the signaling pathways involved in bone destruction. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were performed to further elucidate the involved signaling pathways. Results We found that experimental periodontitis increased HGF production in periodontitis tissues; however, the effects of HGF overexpression were inconsistent with disease progression. In the early stage of periodontitis, periodontal inflammation and alveolar bone destruction were significantly lower in HGF‐Tg mice than in wild‐type mice. In the late stage, HGF‐Tg mice showed higher inflammatory responses and progressively aggravated bone destruction with continued stimulation of inflammation. We identified the IL‐17/RANKL/TRAF6 pathway as a signaling pathway involved in the HGF effects on the progression of periodontitis. Conclusion HGF plays divergent effects in the progression of experimental periodontitis and accelerates osteoclastic activity and bone destruction in the late stage of inflammation.