How LSD1 controls bone loss in gum (periodontal) disease
Official title: The role of LSD1 in regulating periodontal induced bone loss
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11317243 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are testing whether changing LSD1 activity can stop or reduce the bone loss around teeth that happens with gum disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | April 8, 2025 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $198,006 |
| NIH project number | 5R21DE034067-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11317243 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with periodontal (gum) disease who are experiencing or at risk for loss of the bone that supports their teeth would be the most relevant group.
✕Less likely to help
People without gum disease or whose bone loss is caused by non-inflammatory issues (for example trauma or cancer-related causes) may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
From my perspective as a patient, the team uses mouse models and lab-grown bone-resorbing cells to see how a gene regulator called LSD1 affects osteoclasts, the cells that break down bone. They compare animals lacking LSD1 in certain immune/bone cells to normal animals using a ligature model that mimics gum disease and measure bone loss, cell size, and activity. The scientists also look at gene activity and inflammatory signals like TNF-α with sequencing methods to understand the molecular switches behind bone destruction. Results may identify whether targeting LSD1 could be a way to protect tooth-supporting bone.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that prevent or reduce tooth-supporting bone loss in periodontal disease.
How similar studies have gone: This is primarily preclinical work building on early animal data, and while epigenetic approaches have shown promise in lab models, they have not yet become approved treatments for periodontal bone loss.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mansky, Kim Carpenter — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Mansky, Kim Carpenter
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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.