Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of the active matrix metalloproteinase (aMMP‐8)‐point‐of‐care (PoC) test as a quantitative real‐time chair‐side diagnostic tool for peri‐implant diagnosis, as well as assess the potentially developing and ongoing risk relative to the traditional clinical methods.Background: Current peri‐implant and periodontal disease diagnoses rely on clinical and radiological examinations. This case‐control study investigated the applicability of aMMP‐8‐PoC immunotest for quantitative real‐time diagnosis and monitoring of dental implants in health and disease.Methods: Sixty‐eight patients visiting a specialist clinic for maintenance following dental implant placement underwent assessment of their peri‐implant health. aMMP‐8‐PoC peri‐implant sulcular fluid (PISF) lateral‐flow immunotests were performed using ImplantSafe® technology quantitated by ORALyzer®. In addition, the PISF samples were analyzed for total MMP‐8, calprotectin, and interleukin (IL)‐6 by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), aMMP‐8 by western immunoblot, and MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 by gelatin zymography.Results: The aMMP‐8‐PoC test promptly recorded and reflected peri‐implant disease, differentiating it clearly from health. X‐ray findings (bone loss > 2 mm), peri‐implant pocket depth ≥ 3 mm, and bleeding on probing were significantly more prevalent among implants positive for the aMMP‐8‐PoC test. aMMP‐8/ORALyzer analysis was more precise in recording disease than total MMP‐8, calprotectin, IL‐6, MMP‐2, and MMP‐9.Conclusions: The aMMP‐8‐PoC test can be conveniently implemented to alert for and detect active collagenolysis affecting peri‐implant tissues, both in the early and advanced stages of the disease. Active and fragmented MMP‐8 exhibits a strong and significant association with peri‐implantitis as compared to total MMP‐8 and other biomarkers and can be utilized as the POC/chairside biomarker of choice in the new classification of peri‐implantitis.

Background: Advanced glycation end products (AGE) and their receptors (RAGE) have been implicated in developing periodontal complications in diabetic patients. This study aimed to identify salivary AGE, RAGE, soluble RAGE (sRAGE), and active‐matrix metalloproteinase‐8 (aMMP‐8) levels at varying glycemic levels in periodontitis patients.Methods: Ninety‐eight participants were categorized into uncontrolled DM‐PD group (n = 27)—periodontitis patients with uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c] ≥7%); controlled DM‐PD group (n = 33)—periodontitis patients with controlled T2DM (HbA1c 5.7%–6.9%); SH‐PD group (n = 18)—systemically healthy periodontitis patients; and SH‐PH group (n = 20)—systemically and periodontally healthy individuals. HbA1c along with the periodontal parameters bleeding on probing (BoP), periodontal probing depth (PPD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), number of missing teeth, and periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA) were estimated. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for analyzing salivary AGE, RAGE, sRAGE, and aMMP‐8. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to develop predictive models for HbA1c based on relevant predictor variables.Results: Periodontitis participants with uncontrolled T2DM exhibited significantly higher BoP, PPD, CAL, number of missing teeth, and PISA, along with elevated AGE, RAGE, and aMMP‐8, compared to other groups (p < 0.01). A significant positive association was observed between RAGE and HbA1c levels (p < 0.01). Among the predictors, BoP (p = 0.046) and CAL (p < 0.001) demonstrated a significant positive effect on salivary AGE. PPD was positively associated with RAGE (p < 0.05), and BoP was negatively associated with salivary sRAGE levels (p = 0.038).Conclusions: Salivary biomarkers like RAGE and aMMP‐8 exert a potential role in monitoring periodontal health and glycemic control in T2DM patients.Plain Language Summary: Advanced glycation end products (AGE) and their receptors (RAGE) have been implicated in developing periodontal complications in diabetic patients. This study aimed to identify salivary AGE, RAGE, soluble RAGE (sRAGE), and aMMP‐8 levels at varying glycemic levels in periodontitis patients. Ninety‐eight participants were categorized into Group 1 (n = 27)—periodontitis patients with uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); Group 2 (n = 33)—periodontitis patients with controlled T2DM; Group 3 (n = 18)—systemically healthy periodontitis patients; and Group 4 (n = 20)—systemically and periodontally healthy individuals. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for analyzing salivary AGE, RAGE, sRAGE, and aMMP‐8. The study revealed that participants with uncontrolled T2DM and severe periodontitis exhibited significantly higher levels of salivary AGE, RAGE, and aMMP‐8, along with increased periodontal parameters, compared to controlled T2DM and systemically healthy groups. Conversely, salivary sRAGE levels were significantly lower in the uncontrolled T2DM group. The study also found significant associations between salivary RAGE levels and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), as well as between aMMP‐8, AGE, and clinical periodontal parameters. The findings of this study highlight the potential clinical utility of salivary biomarkers, particularly RAGE and aMMP‐8, as noninvasive diagnostic and monitoring tools to evaluate glycemic control and periodontal health in individuals with diabetes.

Wild berries are part of traditional Nordic diets and are a rich source of phytochemicals, such as polyphenols. Various berry treatments have shown to interfere with cancer progression in vitro and in vivo. Here, we systematically reviewed the anticancer effects of two Nordic wild berries of the Vaccinium genus, lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) and bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), on digestive tract cancers. The review was conducted according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches included four databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and CAB abstracts. Publications not written in English, case-reports, reviews, and conference abstracts were excluded. Moreover, studies with only indirect markers of cancer risk or studies with single compounds not derived from lingonberry or bilberry were not included. Meta-analysis was not performed. The majority (21/26) of studies investigated bilberry and colorectal cancer. Experimental studies on colorectal cancer indicated that bilberry inhibited intestinal tumor formation and cancer cell growth. One uncontrolled pilot human study supported the inhibitory potential of bilberry on colorectal cancer cell proliferation. Data from all 10 lingonberry studies suggests potent inhibition of cancer cell growth and tumor formation. In conclusion, in vitro and animal models support the antiproliferative and antitumor effects of various bilberry and lingonberry preparations on digestive tract cancers.

Previous studies indicate that bilberry with high amounts of phenolic compounds can inhibit carcinogenic processes of colorectal cancer in vitro and in vivo. However, no studies have focused on the effects of bilberry on oral cancer. In this study, we aimed to examine the effects of bilberry powder on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells using both in vitro and in vivo assays. The effects of 0, 1, 10, and 25 mg/mL of whole bilberry powder on the viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion of OSCC (HSC-3) cells were examined and compared with 0.01 mg/mL of cetuximab. Two oral keratinocyte cell lines served as controls. Tumor area was analyzed in zebrafish microinjected with HSC-3 cells and treated with 2.5, 10, or 25 µg/mL of bilberry powder. Metastases in the head or tail areas were counted. Bilberry powder inhibited the viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion of HSC-3 cells (p < 0.05), which was more pronounced with higher concentrations. Cetuximab had no effect on HSC-3 cell migration or invasion. Compared to controls, the tumor area in zebrafish treated with bilberry powder (10 and 25 µg/mL) was reduced significantly (p = 0.038 and p = 0.021, respectively), but the number of fish with metastases did not differ between groups. Based on our in vitro and in vivo experiments, we conclude that whole bilberry powder has anti-tumor effects on OSCC cells.