Animal Models for Periodontal Disease

Abstract

Animal models and cell cultures have contributed new knowledge in biological sciences, including periodontology. Although cultured cells can be used to study physiological processes that occur during the pathogenesis of periodontitis, the complex host response fundamentally responsible for this disease cannot be reproduced in vitro. Among the animal kingdom, rodents, rabbits, pigs, dogs, and nonhuman primates have been used to model human periodontitis, each with advantages and disadvantages. Periodontitis commonly has been induced by placing a bacterial plaque retentive ligature in the gingival sulcus around the molar teeth. In addition, alveolar bone loss has been induced by inoculation or injection of human oral bacteria (e.g., Porphyromonas gingivalis) in different animal models. While animal models have provided a wide range of important data, it is sometimes difficult to determine whether the findings are applicable to humans. In addition, variability in host responses to bacterial infection among individuals contributes significantly to the expression of periodontal diseases. A practical and highly reproducible model that truly mimics the natural pathogenesis of human periodontal disease has yet to be developed.

Clinical and microbiological parameters of naturally occurring periodontitis in the non-human primate Macaca mulatta

“…Although much information has been gained from studies of periodontitis in various animals including mice, rats, and dogs, the most faithful model of human disease remains the non-human primate [4–11]. Previous studies have demonstrated that non-human primates are closely similar to humans in terms of clinical presentation of disease [12], periodontal structures, host immune responses and to a limited extent the composition of the oral microbiome [4,13,14]. The microbiology of periodontitis in non-human primates has mainly been evaluated using closed end technologies that targeted putative pathogens, but did not comprehensively characterize the entire oral microbiome [14,15].…”

Oral health in geroscience: animal models and the aging oral cavity

“…Common techniques used in rodent models of oral disease include placement of ligatures in the gingival sulcus, oral gavage with periodontal pathogens, and dextran sulfate sodium treatment (DSS) to induce innate immune damage to the gastrointestinal tissues which can result in oral mucosal inflammation and alveolar bone loss (Oz & Puleo, 2011b). For example, oral infection with Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum in a 4-week old rodent model revealed more severe alveolar bone loss and inflammatory response when both bacteria were combined (Li & , H. Yang, Y. Ding, R. Aprecio, W. Zhang, Q. Wang, Y. Li, 2013).…”

Periostin-deficient mice, a relevant animal model to investigate periodontitis or not?

“…10,11 Oral infection is achieved either by oral gavage or by local application using silk ligatures retentive of bacterial plaque around a first maxillary or mandibular molar, both models were then subjected to a wash-out period of 10 days with antibiotic treatment. Typically, gavage of a bacterial strain is orally administered in a 2% carboxymethylcellulose soft diet containing bacteria three times per week for at least 4 weeks.…”