AKT1 and periodontitis: DEGs uniquely expressed in T2DM-related periodontitis were related to the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway that is activated through various stimuli (e.g., cytokines, growth factors, cellular stresses, and insulin) and regulates several biological processes (e.g., cellular survival, apoptosis, autophagy, proliferation, growth, motility, transcription, and translation) involved in periodontitis and other diseases [29, 30].