Effects of electrical stimulation on periodontal tissue remodeling in rats.
OBJECTIVE
Electric current is used to promote wound healing. However, it is unclear whether electrical stimulation contributes to gingival tissue remodeling. This study examined the effects of electrical stimulation on gingival tissue remodeling in a rat periodontitis model.


METHODS
Male Wistar rats (n = 28, 8 wks of age) were divided into four groups of seven rats each. The control group did not receive any treatment for 6 wks. In the other groups, periodontitis was ligature-induced for 4 wks. After 4 wks, the rats with periodontitis were given daily electrical stimulation of 0, 50 or 100 μA for 2 wks.


RESULTS
The periodontitis group stimulated with 0 μA showed a higher density of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and a lower density of collagen in gingival tissue compared with the control group (p < 0.05). The two remaining groups treated with 50 or 100 μA of electrical stimulation exhibited a lower density of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (p < 0.05) and a higher density of collagen than the group stimulated with 0 μA (p < 0.05). They also showed higher expression of fibroblast growth factor-2 than the group treated with 0 μA of electrical stimulation (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Electric stimulation may offer a novel approach to promote gingival tissue remodeling in periodontal lesions.
Department of Preventive Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Density and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan.
T
T
Tomofuji
D
D
Ekuni
T
T
Azuma
K
K
Irie
Y
Y
Endo
K
K
Kasuyama
M
M
Nagayama
M
M
Morita
D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004846:Epithelial Attachment / Q000473:pathology; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000032:analysis; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000473:pathology; D005881:Gingiva / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 / Q000032:analysis; D020784:Matrix Metalloproteinase 8 / Q000032:analysis; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000032:analysis; D061965:Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors / Q000032:analysis; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000473:pathology; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000473:pathology; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000032:analysis; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 / Q000032:analysis; D019717:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-3 / Q000032:analysis; D019237:Tooth Cervix / Q000473:pathology; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
D061965:Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors; C576839:TIMP1 protein, rat; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D019717:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-3; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2; D003094:Collagen; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3; D020784:Matrix Metalloproteinase 8; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; C572337:Mmp9 protein, rat