Periodontal disease exacerbates systemic ovariectomy-induced bone loss in mice

• Published in: Bone (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2016-02, Vol.83, p.241-247
• Main Authors: Anbinder, Ana Lia, Moraes, Renata M, Lima, Gabriela M.G, Oliveira, Felipe E, Campos, Débora R.C, Rossoni, Rodnei D, Oliveira, Luciane D, Junqueira, Juliana C, Ma, Yun, Elefteriou, Florent
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Body Weight; Bone Resorption - etiology; Bone Resorption - pathology; Collagen Type I - blood; Collagen Type I - urine; Cytokines - blood; Cytokines - urine; Dental Cementum - pathology; Dental Enamel - pathology; Disease Progression; Female; Femur - diagnostic imaging; Femur - pathology; Fracture risk; Mandible - diagnostic imaging; Mandible - pathology; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Orthopedics; Osteocalcin - blood; Osteocalcin - urine; Osteoporosis; Ovariectomy; Ovariectomy - adverse effects; Peptides - blood; Peptides - urine; Periodontal Diseases - complications; Periodontal Diseases - pathology; Periodontitis; Porphyromonas gingivalis; TNF-α; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - blood; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - urine; X-Ray Microtomography
• ISSN: 8756-3282; 1873-2763
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bone.2015.11.014

Abstract Periodontal pathogens and/or inflammatory products from periodontitis participate in the development or progression of systemic diseases. In this context, periodontitis acts as a modifying factor to systemic health, including diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Osteoporosis is an increasingly prevalent condition in our aging population and considered a risk factor for periodontal disease, but the effect of periodontitis on systemic bone homeostasis is unknown. We thus evaluated the effects of experimental periodontitis (EP) on systemic bone loss and the influence of estrogen deficiency in this context, using a mouse model of combined periodontitis and osteoporosis. Experimental periodontitis (EP) was induced by a ligature insertion around the mandibular first molars and Porphyromonas gingivalis infection. Three-dimensional microcomputed tomographic analyses performed 48 days following infection revealed that EP and ovariectomy (OVX) induced a significantly higher femoral and mandibular bone loss compared to EP or OVX alone. EP alone did not induce systemic bone loss. In addition, the EP + OVX and EP groups showed significantly higher levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α than OVX and control groups at end point. These results suggest that periodontitis could be a risk factor for systemic bone loss, especially in post-menopausal women, and warrant further clinical investigations to confirm this association and propose adapted prophylactic and curative therapies.