T cell responses to a mouth bacteria linked to severe gum disease
T cell response in Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans-associated periodontal disease
This project will find out whether immune T cells that react to a mouth bacterium called Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) help cause tissue and bone damage in adults with severe gum disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11325308 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use stored blood immune cells from people with periodontitis and expose them to heat-killed Aa to identify the T cells that respond. Those responding T cells will be analyzed by flow cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing to see what immune signals they produce. The team will then generate mice engineered to make Aa-specific T cell receptors, transfer the Aa-reactive T cells into mice, and trigger Aa-associated gum disease to see if those T cells drive bone loss and inflammation. Throughout the mouse experiments they will measure bone loss, stain tissues to visualize immune cells, and perform detailed cell-level immune profiling to link specific T cell behaviors to tissue damage.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with moderate to severe periodontitis, especially those known or suspected to have Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in their mouths, would be the most relevant group for this research.
Not a fit: People with only mild gum inflammation or whose disease is driven by other bacteria or non-infectious causes may be less likely to benefit directly from these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or treat severe gum disease by targeting the harmful T cell responses driving tissue and bone loss.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has linked immune responses to periodontitis, but combining patient T cell profiling with creation of Aa-specific TCR mice to test causality is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Williams, Drake Winslow — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Williams, Drake Winslow
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 below.