Efeito da doença periodontal sobre a reatividade vascular de camundongos ateroscleróticos

Resumo: A doença periodontal é uma infeção crônica causada pela bactéria do biofilme dental que afeta cerca de 75% da população adulta. Ela começa com gengivite e progride para periodontite, aonde ocorre destruição de tecido conectivo e osso alveolar, levando a perda do elemento dentário,. Vários estudos epidemiologicos tem associado a periodontite com aterosclerose, entretanto mecanismos envolvidos nesta correlação ainda permaneçem controversos.
Investigators have been proposed that periodic transient bacteremia leading to invasion of vascular cells and increased levels of circulating cytokines accelerate the atherogenic process [3]. Also, it has been reported that Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g.), the periodontopathogen associated with the most common form of periodontal disease, accelerates atheroma formation [4,5,6,7], increases systemic inflammatory markers [8,9,10], invades endothelium and vascular smooth muscle cells [11,12] and appears to alter endothelial function [13,14,15]. These studies provide experimental proof that periodontitis can induce atherosclerosis.
Given that endothelial dysfunction appears to be an early event in the development of atherosclerosis [16], and also predicts plaque instability [17], any injury of vascular function may contribute to the development or the progression of atherosclerosis. Support for the clinical importance of endothelial dysfunction is provided by studies demonstrating increased cardiovascular disease risk in patients with endothelial dysfunction in coronary and peripheral arteries [18-21].

Data de início: 01/03/2005
Prazo (meses): 24

Participantes:

Papel	Nome
Coordenador	SILVANA DOS SANTOS MEYRELLES