BGLAP and periodontitis: Our team previously demonstrated that recombinant hBD3 inhibits periodontitis development by suppressing inflammatory responses in macrophages and modulates macrophage activation during the acute inflammatory response to Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharides (LPS).18,19 In an in vivo study, transplantation of periodontal ligament cell (PDLC) sheets expressing hBD3 promoted bone repair and osteocalcin (OCN) expression in periodontal tissues.20 In addition to the its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and immune regulation effects, hBD3 affects cell differentiation during these processes.