Abstract
BACKGROUND: The exact cause of recurrent aphthous stomatitis is still unknown, making it a challenge to develop effective treatments. This study employs computational biology to investigate the molecular basis of recurrent aphthous stomatitis, aiming to identify the nature of the stimuli triggering these ulcers and the type of cell death involved. METHODS: To understand the molecular underpinnings of recurrent aphthous stomatitis, we used the Génie tool for gene identification, targeting those associated with cell death in recurrent aphthous stomatitis. The ToppGene Suite was employed for functional enrichment analysis. We also used Reactome and InteractiVenn for protein integration and prioritization against a PANoptosis gene list, enabling the construction of a protein-protein interaction network to pinpoint key proteins in recurrent aphthous stomatitis pathogenesis. RESULTS: The study's computational approach identified 1,375 protein-coding genes linked to recurrent aphthous stomatitis. Critical among these were proteins responsive to bacterial stimuli, especially high mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1), toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). The enrichment analysis suggested an external biotic factor, likely bacterial, as a triggering agent in recurrent aphthous stomatitis. The protein interaction network highlighted the roles of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), NF-kappa-B essential modulator (IKBKG), and tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 1A (TNFRSF1A), indicating an immunogenic cell death mechanism, potentially PANoptosis, in recurrent aphthous stomatitis. CONCLUSION: The findings propose that bacterial stimuli could trigger recurrent aphthous stomatitis through a PANoptosis-related cell death pathway. This new understanding of recurrent aphthous stomatitis pathogenesis underscores the significance of oral microbiota in the condition. Future experimental validation and therapeutic strategy development based on these findings are necessary.