FTO-associated osteoclastogenesis promotes alveolar bone resorption in apical periodontitis male rat via the HK1/USP14/RANK pathway

Yajie Qian,Jingbao Wu,Weidong Yang,Ruining Lyu,Qiao You,Jingjing Li,Qin He,Zhuang Yuan,Wenmei Wang,Yong Wang,Yanan Zhu,Zhiwei Wu,Deyan Chen

Published 2025 in Nature Communications

ABSTRACT

Alveolar bone resorption (ABR) is a key pathological manifestation in the development of apical periodontitis (AP) and contributes to the AP-associated tooth loss among AP patients in the clinic. However, the underlying mechanism of ABR development is largely unknown. Here we show, the total levels of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) were reduced in AP male rat alveolar bone tissues and BMDM-derived osteoclasts (OC), which was associated with the up-regulation of obesity-associated protein (FTO). Subsequently FTO-mediated hexokinase (HK1) demethylation modification enhancing glycolytic pathway that stabilizes receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK) protein via the deubiquitination activity of ubiquitin-specific protease 14 (USP14), which further promotes osteoclastogenesis to participate in the AP-related ABR development. Finally, Dac51 (an FTO inhibitor) and 2-DG (an HK1 inhibitor) both exhibit the inhibitory activity of osteoclastogenesis. Our current study reveals a molecular mechanism on osteoclastogenesis-related ABR and provides a therapeutic target of AP via modulating the FTO/HK1/USP14/RANK axis. Alveolar bone resorption (ABR) is a key pathological manifestation in the development of apical periodontitis (AP) that contributes to the AP-associated tooth loss, and whose underlying mechanism is largely unknown. Here, the authors show a molecular mechanism on osteoclastogenesis-related ABR and provides a therapeutic target of AP via modulating the FTO/HK1/USP14/RANK axis.

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