Kexu Pan; Zhuoyang Li; Xinxuan Yi; Chaoran Jin; Minglu Zhu; Xijiao Yu & Changjie Xiao

PLAP-1/asporin is a key regulator in the maintenance of periodontal homeostasis. However, the involvement of PLAP-1/asporin in histological alterations of the external root surface following severe human periodontitis remains poorly reported. In this study, the external root surface was observed in human periodontitis cases, and the role of PLAP-1/asporin in this pathological process was also investigated. Inflammatory infiltration, periodontal tissue necrosis, and resorption of cementum (and even dentin) were observed on the external root surface of teeth affected by severe periodontitis. Additionally, inflammatory cells and multiple clastic cells were detected around sites of external inflammatory resorption in cases of severe human periodontitis. Notably, the expression of PLAP- 1/asporin in inflammatory tissues was significantly higher than that in normal periodontal ligaments. Positive PLAP-1/asporin expression was also identified in CD68-positive infiltrating inflammatory cells and multiple clastic cells (which are responsible for resorbing mineralized tissues). Collectively, this study correlates pathological alterations of the external root surface with severe periodontitis, and demonstrates that PLAP-1/asporin is involved in histological alterations of the external root surface following severe human periodontitis.

KEY WORDS: Periodontal ligament-associated protein-1; Asporin; Periodontitis; External resorption.

PAN, K.; LI, Z.; YI, X.; JIN, C.; ZHU, M.; YU, X. & XIAO, C. PLAP-1/asporin gets involved in histological alterations of external root surface following human severe periodontitis. Int. J. Morphol., 44(2):625-631, 2026.