Influence of Gestational Hormones on the Bacteria-Induced Cytokine Response in Periodontitis

Figure 1

Innate immune cells, including keratinocytes, polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs), antigen-presenting cells (APCs), and natural killer (NK) cells, hold pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs) that detect pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) present in biofilm bacteria, and these interactions promote the acute inflammatory response. Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) phagocytose pathogens, process antigens, and present the antigens in the form of peptides displayed by major histocompatibility complex (HLA) molecules. Costimulatory molecules stabilize this interaction. APCs migrate to secondary lymphoid tissues where they activate adaptive immune cells, including CD4⁺ T cells, such as Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells; cytotoxic CD8⁺ T cells; and B cells that will mature into antibody-producing plasma cells. Created with BioRender.com (https://biorender.com/).