Oxidative Stress: A Key Player in Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis
A new systematic review by Cristina Estornut and colleagues, published in the Journal of Molecular Medicine in February 2024, focuses on the role of oxidative stress in recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), a chronic and recurrent inflammatory condition of the mouth characterized by painful ulcers on the oral mucosa. Oxidative stress, resulting from an imbalance between free radicals and the antioxidant defense system, is implicated in the pathogenesis of RAS, alongside genetic predisposition, environmental factors, and immune system alterations. Various risk factors, including smoking, iron and vitamin deficiencies, and anxiety, may contribute to the disease's development.
Explanatory diagram of the process of appearance of oral cell damage through inflammatory induction and ROS production. Created with Biorender. Credits: Cristina Estornut et al., 2024.
To understand the systemic and local effects of oxidative stress on RAS, the researchers conducted a comprehensive literature search across PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, spanning from 2000 to 2023. They selected studies that analyzed oxidant and antioxidant levels in both blood and saliva samples of RAS patients compared to healthy controls. Out of 170 potentially relevant articles, 24 met the inclusion criteria, encompassing studies on blood (11 studies), saliva (6 studies), and both (7 studies).
The findings revealed statistically significant differences between RAS patients and healthy controls in multiple oxidative and antioxidant markers in both saliva and blood samples. Notably, there was an increased oxidative DNA damage in RAS patients, indicating elevated levels of oxidative stress compared to healthy individuals. These results suggest a significant increase in oxidative markers and a decrease in antioxidant defenses in individuals with RAS.
The study underscores the importance of understanding oxidative stress's role in RAS to develop prevention and treatment strategies. By highlighting the imbalance between oxidative and antioxidant markers in RAS patients, it points towards potential therapeutic interventions focusing on antioxidant supplementation or lifestyle modifications aimed at reducing oxidative stress, thus mitigating the disease's impact.
Redox Medicine 2024 will cover all strategies to control oxidative stress, as well as the role of antioxidants. Join the conference in June and submit a related abstract.
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