Epicatechin suppresses the expression of C-C motif chemokine ligand 19 and ameliorates periodontitis

• CCL19 expression increases in inflamed gingival tissues of mice. • CCL19 produced by gingival fibroblasts induces macrophage activation. • Epicatechin reduces LPS-induced inflammation in gingival fibroblasts. • Epicatechin alleviates periodontitis by suppressing CCL19 expression. Periodontitis is a prevalent chronic inflammatory disease requiring the development of drug-based therapies. Epicatechin is a major polyphenol in cocoa extract and possesses numerous pharmacological properties. This study aimed to investigate the suppressive effect of epicatechin on C-C motif chemokine ligand 19 (CCL19)-mediated periodontitis using a mouse model. CCL19 expression was high in mouse gingiva with ligature-induced periodontitis. CCL19 expression was increased by lipopolysaccharide stimulation in murine gingival fibroblasts ESK-1 cells, and CCL19 induced the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-1 beta in mouse macrophage-like RAW264.7 cells. Importantly, lipopolysaccharide-enhanced CCL19 expression in ESK-1 cells was significantly suppressed by pretreatment with epicatechin. In addition, epicatechin administration significantly reduced alveolar bone resorption, and expression of Ccl19 and proinflammatory cytokines in the inflamed gingiva in high-fat diet-fed mice. These results demonstrate that epicatechin protects against periodontitis by reducing CCL19 levels, which may be a promising countermeasure for periodontitis in clinical practice.