Clarithromycin suppresses the periodontal bacteria-accelerated abdominal aortic aneurysms in mice

Aoyama N, Suzuki J‐I, Ogawa M, Watanabe R, Kobayashi N, Hanatani T, Yoshida A, Ashigaki N, Izumi Y, Isobe M. Clarithromycin suppresses the periodontal bacteria‐accelerated abdominal aortic aneurysms in mice. J Periodont Res 2012; 47: 463–469. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S Background and Objective: Although clarithromycin (CAM) has many biological functions, including regulation of MMPs, little is known about its effect on abdominal aortic aneurysms. Periodontopathic bacteria have been reported to be associated with several kinds of circulatory diseases. The purpose of this study was therefore to clarify the effect of CAM on periodontopathic bacteria‐accelerated abdominal aortic aneurysms. Material and Methods: Abdominal aortic aneurysm was produced in mice by the peri‐aortic application of 0.25 m CaCl₂. The mice were inoculated once per week with live Porphyromonas gingivalis, which is one of the major periodontopathic bacteria. Test mice (n = 8) were given a daily oral dose of CAM, while control mice (n = 13) were not. Results: Four weeks after the operation, the P. gingivalis‐injected and CAM‐treated mice showed a significant decrease in the aortic diameter in comparison with the mice only injected with P. gingivalis. Histopathologically, the samples obtained from the P. gingivalis‐injected and CAM‐treated mice showed less elastic degradation. Moreover, the plasma MMP‐2 concentration of the CAM‐treated mice decreased significantly. Conclusion: These findings suggest that CAM administration is useful to suppress periodontal bacteria‐accelerated abdominal aortic aneurysms via MMP regulation.