Induces Preterm Birth in Mice

Epidemiological studies have revealed a link between dental infection and preterm birth or low birth weight (PTB/LBW), however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Progress in understanding the associated mechanisms has been limited in part by lack of an animal model for chronic infection-induced PTB/LBW, mimicking pregnancy under conditions of periodontitis. We aimed to establish a mouse model of chronic periodontitis in order to investigate the link between periodontitis and PTB/LBW..-infected and control mice, and serum and placental tissues were collected at gd 15 to evaluate the systemic and local conditions during pregnancy.. lipopolysaccharide significantly increased expression of COX-2, IL-8 and TNF-α, in HTR-8 trophoblasts in an NF-κB-dependent fashion.. These findings further underscore the importance of local and systemic infections and inflammation during pregnancy and suggest that prevention and/or elimination of dental infections such as marginal or periapical periodontitis before pregnancy may have a beneficial effect on PTB/LBW