MicroRNA expression profiling in the adult offspring of rats with periodontal disease

The present study investigated the relationship between maternal periodontal disease, insulin resistance, activation of inflammatory pathways and epigenetic modifications in adult offspring. Therefore, female Wistar rats were divided into control and experimental groups. Seven days after the induction of periodontal disease, female rats from both groups were mated with healthy male rats. After weaning, male offspring were divided into control offspring (CN-o) and periodontal disease offspring (PED-o) groups. Body weight was measured at 0–75 days of age. At day 75, the following were measured in the offspring: insulin resistance by the HOMA-IR index; global miRNAs by microtranscriptome array; validation of the selected miRNAs by quantitative real-time PCR expression; interleukin 1 receptor associated kinase 1 (IRAK1) and tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) content in the gastrocnemius muscle tissue (GSM) by western blotting. Maternal periodontal disease leads to low birth weight (LBW) in the offspring and insulin resistance in adulthood; changes in global miRNA expression (5 miRNAs upregulated and 6 downregulated); and increased protein expression of IRAK1 and TRAF6 in GSM. These findings demonstrate that maternal periodontal disease causes LBW, insulin resistance, activation of inflammatory pathways, and changes in global miRNA expression. •Maternal periodontal disease can lead to permanent changes in the offspring.•microRNAs explain insulin resistance in the offspring of rats with periodontitis.•rno-miR146b-5p is downregulated in offspring of rats with periodontal disease.