How age-related changes in blood cells may affect gum disease
Official title: Clonal hematopoiesis and periodontal disease
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11299496 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are testing whether age-related mutant blood cells driven by DNMT3A make gum disease worse in older adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $345,313 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DE033643-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11299496 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
The research most directly applies to older adults (especially those 65+) with periodontitis and evidence of CHIP, such as DNMT3A mutations.
✕Less likely to help
Younger people without CHIP or patients whose gum problems are driven mainly by mechanical issues rather than inflammation may be less likely to benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
This project uses mouse models that mimic a common age-related blood change called clonal hematopoiesis (CHIP), focusing on DNMT3A mutations, together with a method that causes gum inflammation to model periodontitis. The team will compare mice with CHIP-like mutations to normal mice to see if mutant white blood cells increase inflammation and bone loss around teeth. They will track whether mutant immune cells move from the bone marrow into the gums and measure inflammatory signals that drive tissue damage. The goal is to reveal mechanisms by which blood-cell changes in older people might worsen periodontal disease and point to possible prevention or treatment targets.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could explain why older adults with CHIP are more prone to severe gum disease and suggest new ways to prevent or treat it.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked CHIP to heart disease and shown that mutant blood cells can boost inflammation, but applying this idea to gum disease is a newer, mostly preclinical area.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hajishengallis, Georgios — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Hajishengallis, Georgios
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.