Are periodontitis and psoriasis associated? A pre-clinical murine model.

Abstract

AIM: To investigate the bidirectional influence between periodontitis and psoriasis, using the respective experimental models of ligature- and imiquimod-induced diseases on murine models. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two C57/BL6J mice were randomly allocated to four experimental groups: control (P- Pso-), ligature-induced periodontitis (P+&#x2009;Pso-), imiquimod-induced psoriasis (P- Pso+) and periodontitis and psoriasis (P+&#x2009;Pso+). Samples (maxilla, dorsal skin and blood) were harvested immediately after death. Measures of periodontitis (distance between the cemento-enamel junction and alveolar bone crest [CEJ-ABC] and the number of osteoclasts) and psoriasis (epidermal thickness and infiltrate cell [/0.03mm]) severity as well as systemic inflammation (IL-6, IL-17A, TNF-&#x3b1;) were collected. RESULTS: The P+&#x2009;Pso+&#x2009;group exhibited the most severe experimental periodontitis and psoriasis, with the highest values of CEJ-ABC, number of osteoclasts, epidermal thickness and infiltrate cells in the dorsal skin, as well as the highest blood cytokine concentration. The P+&#x2009;Pso- group presented with higher cell infiltrate (/0.03mm) compared to the control group (p&#x2009;<.05), while the P- Pso+&#x2009;group showed substantially higher alveolar bone loss (CEJ-ABC) than the control group (p&#x2009;<.05). CONCLUSIONS: Experimental periodontitis may initiate and maintain psoriasiform skin inflammation and, vice versa, experimental psoriasis may contribute to the onset of periodontitis. In a combined model of the diseases, we propose a bidirectional association between periodontitis and psoriasis via systemic inflammation.