Abstract Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory and immune reactive disease induced by the subgingival biofilm. The therapeutic effect for susceptible patients is often unsatisfactory due to excessive inflammatory response and oxidative stress. Sinensetin (Sin) is a nature polymethoxylated flavonoid with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Our study aimed to explore the beneficial effect of Sin on periodontitis and the specific molecular mechanisms. We found that Sin attenuated oxidative stress and inflammatory levels of periodontal ligament cells (PDLCs) under inflammatory conditions. Administered Sin to rats with ligation-induced periodontitis models exhibited a protective effect against periodontitis in vivo. By molecular docking, we identified Bach1 as a strong binding target of Sin, and this binding was further verified by cellular thermal displacement assay and immunofluorescence assays. Chromatin immunoprecipitation-quantitative polymerase chain reaction results also revealed that Sin obstructed the binding of Bach1 to the HMOX1 promoter, subsequently upregulating the expression of the key antioxidant factor HO-1. Further functional experiments with Bach1 knocked down and overexpressed verified Bach1 as a key target for Sin to exert its antioxidant effects. Additionally, we demonstrated that Sin prompted the reduction of Bach1 by potentiating the ubiquitination degradation of Bach1, thereby inducing HO-1 expression and inhibiting oxidative stress. Overall, Sin could be a promising drug candidate for the treatment of periodontitis by targeting binding to Bach1.
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