Morphology-Engineered Ceria Nanoparticles Ameliorate Periodontitis via Enhanced Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities.
Jin Siqi, Tang Hao, Yu Yameng, Zhang Zhihan, Lu Yupu, Li Yahong, Qin Yunyang, Zheng Yufeng, Shen Jie, Xia Dandan
Abstract
Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory oral disease featured with continuous alveolar bone resorption, where a ccumulated reactive oxygen species (ROS) aggravate tissue damage and local inflammation. Ceria nanoparticles (CNPs) act as promising redox nanozymes with excellent ROS-scavenging and anti-inflammatory capacities. Their catalytic performance is highly dependent on specific surface area (SSA), surface Ce3+ fraction and oxygen vacancy (Ov) concentration, all of which are closely regulated by particle morphology. Nevertheless, the correlation between CNP morphology and therapeutic efficacy against periodontitis remains largely unexplored, hindering their rational application in oral therapy. Herein, ceria nanorods, nanocubes and nano-octahedra were synthesized via a hydrothermal method using the same precipitant, with commercial spherical CNPs serving as the control group. Ceria nanorods exerted superior enzyme-mimetic activity, ROS scavenging, anti-inflammatory and osteogenic effects in vitro, which is attributed to their largest SSA, highest surface Ce3+ proportion and abundant oxygen vacancies. In a rat periodontitis model, nanorod-loaded poloxamer hydrogel effectively alleviated alveolar bone resorption, clinical attachment loss and inflammatory infiltration. Mechanistic investigations demonstrated that nanorods inhibit the NF-κB signaling pathway while activating the Nrf2 pathway, thereby mitigating inflammation and reinforcing endogenous antioxidant defenses. This work clarifies the structure-activity relationship of CNPs, offering a rational morphology-modulating strategy for periodontitis therapy.
Key Findings
- Ceria nanorods exhibit superior enzyme-mimetic activity, ROS scavenging, anti-inflammatory, and osteogenic effects compared to other morphologies.
- Nanorod-loaded poloxamer hydrogel effectively alleviates alveolar bone resorption, clinical attachment loss, and inflammatory infiltration in a rat periodontitis model.
- Mechanistically, ceria nanorods inhibit the NF-κB signaling pathway while activating the Nrf2 pathway, reducing inflammation and enhancing endogenous antioxidant defenses.
Clinical Significance
This study demonstrates that morphology-engineered ceria nanoparticles, particularly nanorods, can effectively mitigate oxidative stress and inflammation in periodontitis, offering a promising therapeutic strategy for managing this chronic oral disease.
Citation
Jin Siqi, Tang Hao, Yu Yamenget al.. Morphology-Engineered Ceria Nanoparticles Ameliorate Periodontitis via Enhanced Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities. Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany). 2026-Jul-19.