The effects of adjunctive probiotic therapy in the non-surgical treatment of periodontitis: immunohistochemical study of periodontal tissues and intestinal morphology analysis in rats

Abstract

Whereas the two main strategies for the treatment of periodontal disease are the elimination of specific pathogens and suppression of destructive host response, the use of probiotics opens a promising field to achieve these goals. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of probiotic therapy on intestinal morphology and ligature-induced periodontitis, treated or not with scaling and root planing in rats. 48 rats will be randomly divided into 4 groups: C (control), PD, PROB, PD/PROB. In Groups PD and PD/PROB the left mandibular 1st molar of the animals will receive a silk ligature. After 14 days, the ligatures will be removed and the animals will be submitted to SRP. In Groups PROB and PD/PROB, the probiotic agent will be administered orally by addition to the drinking water of the animals. The Group PD/PROB will receive the probiotic agent after SPR. Six animals in each group will be euthanized at 7 and 15 days and the jaws will be resected. Cytokine-Induced Neutrophil Chemoattractant-1 (CINC-1), Interleukin (IL)-1², IL-10 and Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase (TRAP) immunohistochemical staining will be performed. A digital computer-assisted method will be used to evaluate three parameters: (1) percentage of labeled cells, (2) digital immunostaining intensity, and (3) digital expression index. Samples of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum will be also dissected from each animal to evaluate the villous height (VH) and crypt depth (CD). The data obtained will be subjected to statistical analysis. (AU)