Development of liver disease caused by chronic periodontitis in rats

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease characterized by producing alterations in periodontal tissues, but it has been associated with the manifestation of systemic alterations, related to those produced in liver tissue. This study aims to evaluate the progression of liver damage caused by ligation-induced periodontitis in rats with time intervals of ten to 80 days.

Overall, 40 rats were divided into five groups: control (no ligatures), P10, P20, P40, and P80 (teeth with ligatures at intervals of ten, 20, 40, and 80 days) in which we verified liver disease caused by periodontitis. Oral parameters were evaluated: gingival bleeding index (GBI), probing pocket depth (PPD), dental mobility (TM), myeloperoxidase activity (MPO), alveolar bone height (ABH). Liver parameters were evaluated: liver weight, histopathological scores for steatosis, inflammation, and necrosis in the liver; glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Serum parameters were also evaluated: concentrations in liver tissues, blood levels of albumin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), glucose, total cholesterol, and total proteins.

The results showed that the hepatic steatosis score gradually increased (P<0.05) in rats with induced periodontitis for up to 20 days (P20); and the rats with ligatures for 40 (P40) and 80 days (P80) had stable scores compared to the P20, without any further worsening, similarly occurred with GSH, MDA, and total cholesterol.

This study indicated that liver alterations caused by ligature-induced periodontitis are progressive in early stages (0-20 days) and reach a plateau in later stages (40-80 days).