MSG-obesity and Periodontal Disease - Fetal Programming

Maternal alterations, such as low-intensity chronic inflammatory diseases, such as obesity and periodontal disease, are responsible for inducing fetal programming effects in the offspring. In the case of skeletal muscle striated tissue in particular, these changes are related to the reduction in the size of muscle fibers, in addition to changes in muscle regeneration capacity. In this sense, the present study sought to evaluate the effects of the association of obesity induced by MSG and maternal periodontal disease, on the structure of the anterior tibial muscle of the offspring. Twenty-four Wistar rats, offspring of control mothers (n = 6), MSG-obese (n = 6), control with periodontal disease (n = 6) and MSG-obese with periodontal disease (n = 6) were used. At 120 days of life, the animals were weighed and measured, the adipose tissues collected and weighed and the anterior tibial muscle destined for histomorphological analyses. MSG offspring showed important muscle changes, such as a reduction in the size of fibers and neuromuscular junctions, and an increase in the nucleus and capillaries. However, all these changes were more expressed in MSG-PRDT offspring, which leads us to suggest an association effect between periodontal disease and obesity, and the presence of two low-intensity inflammatory diseases, a decisive factor for greater muscle damage.