Fetal growth restriction is a host specific response to infection with an impaired spiral artery remodeling-inducing strain of Porphyromonas gingivalis

Tanvi Tavarna,Leticia Reyes,Priscilla L Phillips,Xiao-Jun Wu

doi:10.1038/s41598-020-71762-9

Tanvi Tavarna, Leticia Reyes + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-71762-9

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Journal: Scientific Reports	Publication Date: Sep 3, 2020
Citations: 7	License type: open-access

Affiliation: University of Wisconsin–Madison

Abstract

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a periodontal pathogen implicated in a range of pregnancy disorders that involve impaired spiral artery remodeling (ISAR) with or without fetal growth restriction (FGR). Using a rodent periodontitis model, we assessed the ability of P. gingivalis to produce ISAR and FGR in Sprague Dawley (SD) and Wistar (WIS) rats. Both infected SD and WIS rats developed ISAR, but only WIS rats developed FGR despite both rat strains having equivalent microbial loads within the placenta. Neither maternal systemic inflammation nor placental (fetal) inflammation was a feature of FGR in WIS rats. Unique to infected WIS rats, was loss of trophoblast cell density within the junctional zone of the placenta that was not present in SD tissues. In addition, infected WIS rats had a higher proportion of junctional zone trophoblast cells positive for cytoplasmic high temperature requirement A1 (Htra1), a marker of cellular oxidative stress. Our results show a novel phenomenon present in P. gingivalis-induced FGR, with relevance to human disease since dysregulation of placental Htra1 and placental oxidative stress are features of preeclamptic placentas and preeclampsia with FGR.

Highlights

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a periodontal pathogen implicated in a range of pregnancy disorders that involve impaired spiral artery remodeling (ISAR) with or without fetal growth restriction (FGR)
A higher proportion of junctional zone trophoblast cells in infected WIS rats were positive for cytoplasmic high temperature requirement A1 (Htra1)
Since we previously established that P. gingivalis infection impairs uterine spiral artery remodeling in pregnant Sprague Dawley (SD) r ats[11], we first determined if the same occurs in WIS dams

Summary

Introduction

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a periodontal pathogen implicated in a range of pregnancy disorders that involve impaired spiral artery remodeling (ISAR) with or without fetal growth restriction (FGR). Using a rodent periodontitis model, we assessed the ability of P. gingivalis to produce ISAR and FGR in Sprague Dawley (SD) and Wistar (WIS) rats. Neither maternal systemic inflammation nor placental (fetal) inflammation was a feature of FGR in WIS rats. Infected WIS rats had a higher proportion of junctional zone trophoblast cells positive for cytoplasmic high temperature requirement A1 (Htra1), a marker of cellular oxidative stress. We infected both SD and WIS rats with P. gingivalis using a periodontitis model of infection[23], and pregnant dams were assessed for the development of ISAR and FGR. Our results show a novel phenomenon whereby P. gingivalis promotes FGR, which may have clinical relevance to human disease

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