Consecutive intra-gingival injections of lipopolysaccharide and butyric acid to mice induce abnormal behavior and changes in cytokine concentrations

Background Periodontopathic bacteria such as Porphyromonas gingivalis produce several metabolites, including lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and n -butyric acid (BA). Past work suggested that periodontal infection may cause cognitive impairment in mice. Aims To elucidate the mechanisms by which metabolites such as LPS and BA, resulting from Porphyromonas gingivalis activity, induce immunological and physiological abnormalities in mice. Methods In the present work, 28 male ICR mice were placed in an open-field arena and the total distance (cm/600 s) they covered was recorded. Based on their moving distances, mice were divided into 4 groups ( n = 7) and injected the following substances into their gingival tissues for 32 consecutive days: saline (C), 5 mmol/L of BA (B), 1 μg/mouse of LPS (L), and BA-LPS (BL) solutions. Distances covered by mice were also measured on days 14 and 21, with their habituation scores considered as “(moving distance on day 14 or 21)/(moving distance on day 0)”. Afterwards, mice were dissected, and hippocampal gene expression and the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids, neurotransmitters and cytokines in their blood plasma and brains were analyzed. In addition, mouse brain and liver tissues were fixed and visually assessed for histopathological abnormalities. Results Group BL had significantly higher habituation scores than C and B on day 14. LPS induced higher habituation scores on day 21. LPS induced significant decreases in the mRNA levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and brain-derived neurotrophic factors, and an increase in neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor type 2. In both plasma and brain, LPS induced a significant acetate increase. Moreover, LPS significantly increased acetylcholine in brain. In plasma alone, LPS and BA significantly decreased monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1). However, while LPS significantly decreased tyrosine, BA significantly increased it. Lastly, LPS significantly decreased IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor in plasma. No histopathological abnormalities were detected in liver or brain tissues of mice. Conclusion We showed that injections of LPS and/or BA induced mice to move seemingly tireless and that both LPS and BA injections strongly induced a reduction of MCP-1 in blood plasma. We concluded that LPS and BA may have been crucial to induce and/or aggravate abnormal behavior in mice.