IADR Abstract Archives
Investigating the Association of Maternal Periodontitis and Foetal Heart Development.
Objectives: Periodontitis related inflammation has been associated with systemic diseases including heart diseases, diabetes and complications related to pregnancy. Studies have shown that maternal periodontitis increases incidence of premature and low weight birth. Circulatory inflammatory factors caused by the periodontitis, as well as colonisation of the placenta by pathogenic bacteria may play roles in these pregnancy related conditions. In this study, we investigate if maternal periodontitis could increase the incidence of congenital heart and other organ defects in genetically susceptible foetus that would otherwise be born normal to healthy mothers.
Methods: Periodontitis was induced in wildtype C57BL6/5 female mice by placing a 5-0 silk suture around the second maxillary molars followed by oral gavage of periodontal pathogens comprised of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and a commensal Streptococcus gordonii for 10 days. The females were time-mated with a male mouse carrying a deletion allele of a cardiac gene Nkx2.5. The embryos were harvested at embryonic day 12.5 when major organs are formed. The wildtype siblings in the litter, as well as the embryos of untreated mice, served as controls. The morphology of the embryos and cardiac structures were analysed. Serum and placental tissues were collected to analyse circulatory inflammatory factors and bacterial colonisation.
Results: The embryos collected from induced periodontitis mother presented inflamed placenta and blood pooling in the embryonic trunks. Molecular analysis of the embryonic and placenta tissues will be presented.
Conclusions: Using ligature, inoculation of periodontitis causing bacteria, and time-mating methods, we were able to establish a maternal periodontitis model in mice. This study will provide insight into the link between maternal oral health and congenital diseases in foetus and highlight the importance of oral health in perinatal care.
Methods: Periodontitis was induced in wildtype C57BL6/5 female mice by placing a 5-0 silk suture around the second maxillary molars followed by oral gavage of periodontal pathogens comprised of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and a commensal Streptococcus gordonii for 10 days. The females were time-mated with a male mouse carrying a deletion allele of a cardiac gene Nkx2.5. The embryos were harvested at embryonic day 12.5 when major organs are formed. The wildtype siblings in the litter, as well as the embryos of untreated mice, served as controls. The morphology of the embryos and cardiac structures were analysed. Serum and placental tissues were collected to analyse circulatory inflammatory factors and bacterial colonisation.
Results: The embryos collected from induced periodontitis mother presented inflamed placenta and blood pooling in the embryonic trunks. Molecular analysis of the embryonic and placenta tissues will be presented.
Conclusions: Using ligature, inoculation of periodontitis causing bacteria, and time-mating methods, we were able to establish a maternal periodontitis model in mice. This study will provide insight into the link between maternal oral health and congenital diseases in foetus and highlight the importance of oral health in perinatal care.