Inhibition of CD38 by 78c Enhanced NAD⁺ and Alleviated Alveolar Bone Loss in Mice with Experimental Periodontitis

Old murine bone marrow-derived monocytes and macrophages (BMMs) display enhanced CD38 protein, a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) glycohydrolase, and reduced NAD⁺ level after infection with oral pathogens compared with young controls. We aimed to determine whether treatment with a CD38-specific inhibitor (78c) in mice with experimental periodontitis could alleviate alveolar bone loss and enhance NAD⁺ levels in tissues compared with vehicle treatment. Twenty young (2-month-old) and twenty old (18-month-old) C57BL/6J mice with experimental periodontitis were treated with either vehicle or 78c twice daily via intraperitoneal injection for 4 weeks. The liver, spleen, and right maxillary tissues were harvested to analyze NAD⁺ levels. The left maxillary tissues were scanned by micro-CT, processed for tissue sectioning, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP). Treatment with 78c significantly enhanced NAD⁺ levels in the liver and spleen of both young and old mice, and significantly increased NAD⁺ in the right maxilla of old mice compared with vehicle treatment. Additionally, treatment with 78c alleviated alveolar bone loss in both young and old mice. Our results support the notion that 78c is a promising therapeutic strategy for treating periodontal disease associated with aging.