How mouth bacteria affect blood vessel health
Official title: Role of Oral Microbiota on Vascular Function
Funded at Meharry Medical College · NIH-11144456 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether bacteria from gum disease can damage blood vessels and worsen heart and blood vessel problems in people with adult-onset (type 2) diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Meharry Medical College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $145,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM149440-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11144456 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be adults with type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes, especially those who have gum disease or a history of periodontal infections.
✕Less likely to help
People without diabetes or without periodontal disease are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
You would learn how gum disease bacteria, especially Porphyromonas gingivalis, may change how blood vessel cells work in people with adult-onset diabetes. The team uses primary human aortic endothelial cells in the lab to measure nitric oxide signaling, BH4 levels, oxidative stress (ROS), and antioxidant responses like Nrf2 after bacterial exposure. They also use diabetic rodent models to study blood vessel function, blood pressure, and vessel relaxation. Results aim to connect oral infection and inflammation to vascular problems and point to ways to protect vessels by targeting mouth bacteria or related biochemical pathways.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or reduce blood vessel and heart complications in people with type 2 diabetes by treating gum disease or restoring nitric oxide/BH4 balance.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies, including work by this group, have linked periodontal disease and Porphyromonas gingivalis to worse heart outcomes and endothelial dysfunction, but the detailed NO/BH4 and antioxidant mechanisms are still being clarified.
Where this research is happening
-
Meharry Medical College
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gangula, Pandu R — Meharry Medical College
- Study coordinator: Gangula, Pandu R
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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.