The Kynurenine Pathway: a Proposed Mechanism Linking Diabetes and Periodontal Disease in Diabetic Patients

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease characte-rized by dysregulation of carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolism. Diabetes could result, in part, in activation of tryptophan metabolism. Diabetic patients are more susceptible to gingivitis and periodontitis than healthy subjects. The salivary kynurenine derivatives are also implicated in the onset and development of periodontal dis-ease in humans.The hypothesis: We propose that the tryptophan metabolites via kynurenine pathway may lead to diabetes and an increased severity of periodontal disease in diabetic patients, thus linking both diabetes and periodontal disease.Evaluation of the hypothesis: Tryptophan has been found in significant amount in saliva in diabetic individuals in some studies, particularly tryptophan metabolites like kynurenine and anthranilic acid. Moreover, altered tryptophan metabolism has also been reported in the onset of periodontal disease. Thus, this correlation between diabetes mellitus, periodontal disease and salivary tryptophan metabolite levels could be related to the impaired kynurenine pathway metabolism of tryptophan.