Dynamic in vitro cell culture model to study pathogenic interactions in periodontitis in flow using a Lab-on-a-Disc platform

Periodontitis is one of the most common chronic inflammatory diseases worldwide [1]. Recently, the overgrowth of human herpes viruses (HHVs), including herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), has been suggested as a possible trigger for oral dysbiosis resulting in the progression of periodontitis [2]. Thus, there is a demand for in vitro platforms to facilitate studies of the interactions between oral cells (e.g. epithelial cells and fibroblasts) and HHVs in conditions mimicking the oral cavity to enable a better understanding of fundamental biological processes and evaluate new treatment strategies. Traditionally, viral infections are studied in cells cultured in static conditions, e.g. well plates. However, different methods to study cells in perfusion have received increasing attention [3, 4, 5].
A recently established methodology to study cell growth under perfusion in vitro is based on the Lab-on-a-Disc (LoD) [6] technology. LoD is a disc-shaped microfluidic platform the size of a DVD, where centrifugal forces are used to manipulate fluids through channels and chambers [6]. Compared to conventional perfusion systems, LoD platforms are advantageous since there are no external pumps, valves or tubings. In this work, we aim to establish a physiologically relevant LoD model to study dynamic interactions between cells isolated from the oral cavity, e.g. periodontal ligament (PDL) cells, and HHVs as it may occur in periodontitis.