Abstract
To evaluate whether periodontitis modulates lung inflammation in an experimental model of asthma as well as the photodynamic therapy (PDT) is associated with a reduction of lung inflammation. Seventy-two BALB/c male mice (~2 months) were randomly divided into 8 groups (n = 9): Basal, Periodontitis (P), P+PT, P+PT+PDT, Asthma (A), A+P, A+P+PT, and A+P+PT+PDT. Periodontitis was induced by using the ligature technique and asthma was induced by ovalbumin (OVA). PT was performed with curettes and PDT with methylene blue (0.005%), λ = 660nm, with a radiant exposure of 318J/cm2. After 43 days, euthanasia was carried out prior to lung and mandible morphological analyzes. All of the manipulations of the animals were performed by only one operator. The total and differential cell counts and cytokines IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were evaluated in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and in the serum. Mucus and alkaline phosphatase were also quantified. Statistical analyzes were performed by a blinded statistician. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed, followed by the Student-Newman-Keuls test. Periodontitis group (P) increased alkaline phosphatase and bone resorption (p<0.05), validating the experimental model of periodontitis. The A group and the P group increased the total amount of cells (p <0.05) in the BAL. However, in the A+P group, there was a decrease in these cells, except for in the A+P+PT+PDT group (p<0.05). The asthma group increased the Th2 cytokines and P group increased the Th1 cytokine profile, and A+P+PT+PDT group increased IL-10 cytokine. Mucus was increased for the A and P groups. In conclusion, periodontitis in the asthmatic mice reduced the inflammatory migrated cells in the BAL (eosinophils, lymphocytes, macrophages). In addition, it reduced the levels of the IL-4 and TNF-α cytokines, which was also accompanied by a decreased mucus production. After PDT treatment the total cell count increased however, this increase was not accompanied by a pro-inflammatory cytokines release. Only in PDT group the anti-inflammatory IL-10 was increased. Further studies are needed to understand this mechanism of action.
Highlights
Periodontal disease is an infectious disease of the supporting structures of teeth that affects over 47% of American adults [1]
The quantification of the cells that were recovered in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) of the asthmatic mice (Fig 2) shows that the total count of the inflammatory cells (x104/ml) in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was increased in the periodontitis (P) group (p
The periodontal treatment (P + PT) (p
Summary
Periodontal disease is an infectious disease of the supporting structures of teeth that affects over 47% of American adults [1]. Periodontitis is characterized by an acute inflammatory process, osteoclast activity, as well as connective tissue destruction [3,4], which is characterized by a pro-inflammatory profile of cytokine release, known as Th1 [3]. Among the cytokines with a Th1 profile, we can cite IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α [5,6,7,8]. Periodontal disease is often associated with other chronic systemic conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases [9], diabetes [10], and asthma. Periodontal disease is often associated with other chronic systemic conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases [9], diabetes [10], and asthma. [11]
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