Polymicrobial Interactions In Chronic Periodontitis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$413,133.00
Summary
In this study we will determine how three pathogenic species of bacteria interact. Together these species are associated with periodontitis and they produce toxic compounds that may cause tissue damage. Using the newly emerging technologies of metabolomics and transcriptomics we will characterise these interactions. This will identify potential diagnostic biomarkers of disease and therapeutic targets.
Regulation Of Porphyromonas Gingivalis Gene Expression
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$531,696.00
Summary
Chronic periodontitis (gum disease) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the supporting tissues of the teeth associated with bacteria that results in the destruction of tooth support and can ultimately lead to tooth loss. The disease is a major public health problem with a large economic burden and has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis is recognized as the major causative pathogen in the development of chronic periodontitis. ....Chronic periodontitis (gum disease) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the supporting tissues of the teeth associated with bacteria that results in the destruction of tooth support and can ultimately lead to tooth loss. The disease is a major public health problem with a large economic burden and has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis is recognized as the major causative pathogen in the development of chronic periodontitis. This bacterium is part of subgingival dental plaque, a biofilm attached to the surface of the tooth below the gum line, and releases a range of proteins and cytotoxic agents that cause damage to the tooth's supporting tissues both directly and indirectly through the dysregulation of the host's immune response. To cause disease this bacterium must be able to grow as a biofilm and withstand the immune response of the host. Detailed knowledge of how this bacterium is able to establish and proliferate in subgingival plaque, tolerate the oxidative attack and elevated temperatures that are part of the immune response and obtain the essential micronutrient iron will provide new targets for the development of specific inhibitors that may have utility as an adjunctive therapeutic for the control of chronic periodontitis. We will use a state of the art DNA microarray analysis to determine the proteins that regulate genes associated with the virulence of this bacterium. The insights we gain from this study will have broader application for the understanding of human disease that is caused by bacteria that grow as biofilms on various surfaces of the human body.Read moreRead less
Characterisation Of A Novel Porphyromonas Gingivalis Regulatory Protein That Controls Virulence Related Gene Expression
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$569,620.00
Summary
In this study we will characterise the manner in which genes essential for the virulence of Porphyromonas gingivalis, a bacterium associated with chronic periodontitis, are regulated. This will provide information on how this bacterium causes disease and may offer opportunities for the development of new treatment strategies.