Preterm birth (PTB), accompanied by low birth weight (LBW) or not, is a syndrome with tremendous risk factors and long‐term health consequences for children. In recent decades, overwhelming studies have shown that periodontitis contributes to prematurity and LBW. This study was conducted to determine the link between maternal periodontitis and the pathogenesis of PTB and/or LBW through a rat infection model induced by Porphyromonas gingivalis, an important periodontopathic bacterium. The murine model was established by surgically ligating the left mandibular first molars and inoculating with P. gingivalis, and then all female rats initiated mating 6 weeks post infection. The gestational day and birth weight were recorded, and blood, amniotic fluid, and placental specimens were collected. Rats with a PTB and LBW newborns were observed in the P. gingivalis‐infected group. Additionally, P. gingivalis infection significantly increased the maternal serum levels of interferon‐γ and interleukin‐1β, whereas no significant difference in the cytokine response was observed in the amniotic fluid. Moreover, with the translocation of P. gingivalis to placentas, remarkable changes in gestational tissues were found, followed by significantly enhanced expression of Toll‐like receptor 2 (TLR2) as well as Fas and Fas ligand (FasL). These results support the concept that severe cases of periodontitis caused by P. gingivalis infection may be indicative of rats being more susceptible to PTB/LBW, probably through the activation of the TLR2 and Fas/FasL pathways within the placental tissues. This study gave us new insight into how maternal periodontopathogens might be linked to placental damage and premature pathogenesis.

中文翻译：

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牙龈卟啉单胞菌的牙周感染可导致大鼠早产和降低出生体重。

早产（PTB）伴或不伴低出生体重（LBW），是一种具有巨大风险因素并对儿童造成长期健康后果的综合征。近几十年来，大量研究表明，牙周炎会导致早产和LBW。这项研究旨在通过牙龈卟啉单胞菌（一种重要的牙周病细菌）诱导的大鼠感染模型确定母亲牙周炎与PTB和/或LBW发病机理之间的联系。通过外科手术结扎左下颌第一磨牙并接种牙龈卟啉单胞菌来建立小鼠模型，然后所有雌性大鼠在感染后6周开始交配。记录胎龄和出生体重，并收集血液，羊水和胎盘标本。在牙龈卟啉单胞菌感染组中观察到了具有PTB和LBW新生儿的大鼠。此外，牙龈卟啉单胞菌感染显着增加了孕妇血清中干扰素γ和白细胞介素1β的水平，而羊水中细胞因子反应没有显着差异。而且，随着牙龈假单胞菌的易位对于胎盘，发现妊娠组织发生了显着变化，随后Toll样受体2（TLR2）以及Fas和FasL配体（FasL）的表达明显增强。这些结果支持以下观念：由牙龈卟啉单胞菌感染引起的严重牙周炎可能表明大鼠更易受PTB / LBW影响，可能是通过激活胎盘组织内的TLR2和Fas / FasL途径引起的。这项研究使我们对产妇牙周病原体如何与胎盘损伤和过早发病机制有关有了新的认识。