Metabolomic evaluation of Masseter muscle in an experimental malocclusion model

Abstract

Occlusal disarrangements are very often in the basis of the sintomatology related with temporomandibular disfunction, which courses with muscular and articular involvement.The aim of this study is to give a contribution to the understanding of metabolic changes in the masseter muscle in an experimental model of malocclusion.20 Wistar male rats, 12 weeks old were distributed in two groups: the control group, kept in the standard conditions and the test group. In the test group we created a change of the normal occlusal contacts by adding fotopolimerized resin on the left superior teeth. After two weeks, all animals were killed and the complete necropsy was performed. Fractions of masseter muscle were collected for histopathological analysis and for NMR analysis. The fragments for NMR analysis were snap‐frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at −80ºC until the spectroscopy was performed.After the spectra and statistical analysis we observed that Taurine (3.261 PPM); β‐glucose (3.42 PPM); Creatin (3.93 PPM) and a metabolite at 4.334 PPM were significantly changed between the control and test groups on left masseter. Taurine (3.261 PPM), β‐glucose (3.422 PPM), and two metabolites on 4.964 and 1.482 PPM were significantly changed between the control and test groups on right masseter. We didn't observe any statistically significant changes between left and right masseter metabolic profile on control groupThe results of this study suggest that occlusal interferences can produce metabolic changes on masseter muscle on the working and non‐working sides. Taurine and β‐glucose suffered statistically significant changes on both left and right masseter muscles.