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Diagnostics
Volume 16
Issue 5
10.3390/diagnostics16050708
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Article

Osteoimmunologic and Immune-Aging Signatures in Postmenopausal Women with Periodontitis and Low Bone Mineral Density: A Cross-Sectional Study

by
Irina-Georgeta Sufaru
,
Maria-Alexandra Martu
*,
Maria-Georgeta Laza
,
Sorina Mihaela Solomon
,
Ionut Luchian
,
Liliana Pasarin
,
Diana Tatarciuc
and
Ioana Martu
Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Diagnostics 2026, 16(5), 708; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16050708
Submission received: 31 January 2026 / Revised: 20 February 2026 / Accepted: 25 February 2026 / Published: 27 February 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inflammatory Pathways and Diagnostic Strategies in Chronic Diseases)
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Abstract

Background/Objective: Periodontitis and osteoporosis frequently co-occur after menopause, yet the immune–bone pathways linking oral and skeletal phenotypes remain incompletely defined. This study investigated whether periodontitis severity and low bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women are associated with convergent systemic inflammaging and immunosenescence phenotypes and with a salivary RANKL/OPG imbalance. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 280 postmenopausal women were assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial design based on periodontal status (severe vs. no/mild) and BMD status (low vs. normal; DXA T-score). Full-mouth periodontal measurements (PD, CAL, BOP, plaque index, tooth count; stage/grade) were recorded. Salivary RANKL and OPG were quantified, and the RANKL/OPG ratio was calculated. Systemic inflammaging markers (hs-CRP, IL-6, TNF-α) and CMV IgG were assessed, and T-cell immune-aging phenotypes were profiled by flow cytometry (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD45RA, CCR7, CD28, CD57, KLRG1, PD-1, CD27). Results: Severe periodontitis and low BMD were each associated with higher salivary RANKL/OPG ratios and greater systemic inflammatory burden, with modest interaction effects. Immune-aging profiles showed higher proportions of late-differentiated CD8+ phenotypes, and CMV seropositivity was strongly associated with immunosenescence markers. Conclusions: In postmenopausal women, periodontal destruction and low BMD were aligned with osteoclastogenic and immune-aging signatures, consistent with oral–skeletal immune crosstalk. Findings should be interpreted as associative rather than causal, and longitudinal observational studies are warranted to clarify temporality.
Keywords: immunosenescence; inflammaging; periodontitis; postmenopause; RANKL/OPG immunosenescence; inflammaging; periodontitis; postmenopause; RANKL/OPG

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MDPI and ACS Style

Sufaru, I.-G.; Martu, M.-A.; Laza, M.-G.; Solomon, S.M.; Luchian, I.; Pasarin, L.; Tatarciuc, D.; Martu, I. Osteoimmunologic and Immune-Aging Signatures in Postmenopausal Women with Periodontitis and Low Bone Mineral Density: A Cross-Sectional Study. Diagnostics 2026, 16, 708. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16050708

AMA Style

Sufaru I-G, Martu M-A, Laza M-G, Solomon SM, Luchian I, Pasarin L, Tatarciuc D, Martu I. Osteoimmunologic and Immune-Aging Signatures in Postmenopausal Women with Periodontitis and Low Bone Mineral Density: A Cross-Sectional Study. Diagnostics. 2026; 16(5):708. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16050708

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sufaru, Irina-Georgeta, Maria-Alexandra Martu, Maria-Georgeta Laza, Sorina Mihaela Solomon, Ionut Luchian, Liliana Pasarin, Diana Tatarciuc, and Ioana Martu. 2026. "Osteoimmunologic and Immune-Aging Signatures in Postmenopausal Women with Periodontitis and Low Bone Mineral Density: A Cross-Sectional Study" Diagnostics 16, no. 5: 708. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16050708

APA Style

Sufaru, I.-G., Martu, M.-A., Laza, M.-G., Solomon, S. M., Luchian, I., Pasarin, L., Tatarciuc, D., & Martu, I. (2026). Osteoimmunologic and Immune-Aging Signatures in Postmenopausal Women with Periodontitis and Low Bone Mineral Density: A Cross-Sectional Study. Diagnostics, 16(5), 708. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16050708

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