Digital Commons Network^™

Comparative Analysis Of Microbial Sensing Molecules In Mucosal Tissues With Aging, Octavio A. Gonzalez, Sreenatha S. Kirakodu, Michael John Novak, A. J. Stromberg, L. Orraca, J. Gonzalez-Martinez, A. Burgos, Jeffrey L. Ebersole

Center for Oral Health Research Faculty Publications

Host-bacterial interactions at mucosal surfaces require recognition of the bacteria by host cells enabling targeted responses to maintain tissue homeostasis. It is now well recognized that an array of host-derived pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), both cell-bound and soluble, are critical to innate immune engagement of microbes via microbial-associated molecular patterns (MAMP). This report describes the use of a nonhuman primate model to evaluate changes in the expression of these sensing molecules related to aging in healthy gingival tissues. Macaca mulatta aged 3-24 years were evaluated clinically and gingival tissues obtained, RNA isolated and microarray analysis conducted for gene expression of …

An Instrument To Measure Dental Students' Communication Skills With Patients In Six Specific Circumstances: An Exploratory Factor Analysis, Joanna Alice Aalboe, Mitzi M. Schumacher

Center for Oral Health Research Faculty Publications

The aim of this study was to explore the internal structure of an instrument assessing dental students' confidence in their ability to communicate with patients in six specific circumstances (anxious, in pain, etc.) using exploratory factor analysis. In a Communication in the Dental Health Care Setting course at a U.S. dental school, second-year dental students in two years (2013 and 2014) responded to the six items on a survey instrument. Of the total 123 students, 122 fully completed the instrument, for a response rate of 99%. Analysis of the results identified a unidimensional scale with regards to patient-specific communication self-efficacy …

Targeted Salivary Biomarkers For Discrimination Of Periodontal Health And Disease(S), Jeffrey L. Ebersole, Radhakrishnan Nagarajan, David Akers, Craig S. Miller

Center for Oral Health Research Faculty Publications

Generally, clinical parameters are used in dental practice for periodontal disease, yet several drawbacks exist with the clinical standards for addressing the needs of the public at large in determining the current status/progression of the disease, and requiring a significant amount of damage before these parameters can document disease. Therefore, a quick, easy and reliable method of assessing and monitoring periodontal disease should provide important diagnostic information that improves and speeds treatment decisions and moves the field closer to individualized point-of-care diagnostics.

OBJECTIVE: This report provides results for a saliva-based diagnostic approach for periodontal health and disease based upon …

Oral Microbial Biofilm Stimulation Of Epithelial Cell Responses, Rebecca Peyyala, Sreenatha S. Kirakodu, Karen F. Novak, Jeffrey L. Ebersole

Center for Oral Health Research Faculty Publications

Oral bacterial biofilms trigger chronic inflammatory responses in the host that can result in the tissue destructive events of periodontitis. However, the characteristics of the capacity of specific host cell types to respond to these biofilms remain ill-defined. This report describes the use of a novel model of bacterial biofilms to stimulate oral epithelial cells and profile select cytokines and chemokines that contribute to the local inflammatory environment in the periodontium. Monoinfection biofilms were developed with Streptococcus sanguinis, Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus gordonii, Actinomyces naeslundii, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Porphyromonas gingivalis on rigid gas-permeable contact lenses. Biofilms, as well as planktonic cultures …

Animal Models For Periodontal Disease, Helieh S. Oz, David A. Puleo

Center for Oral Health Research Faculty Publications

Animal models and cell cultures have contributed new knowledge in biological sciences, including periodontology. Although cultured cells can be used to study physiological processes that occur during the pathogenesis of periodontitis, the complex host response fundamentally responsible for this disease cannot be reproduced in vitro. Among the animal kingdom, rodents, rabbits, pigs, dogs, and nonhuman primates have been used to model human periodontitis, each with advantages and disadvantages. Periodontitis commonly has been induced by placing a bacterial plaque retentive ligature in the gingival sulcus around the molar teeth. In addition, alveolar bone loss has been induced by inoculation or …

Hiv-1 Reactivation Induced By The Periodontal Pathogens Fusobacterium Nucleatum And Porphyromonas Gingivalis Involves Toll-Like Receptor 2 And 9 Activation In Monocytes/Macrophages, Octavio A. Gonzalez, Mengtao Li, Jeffrey L. Ebersole, Chifu B. Huang

Center for Oral Health Research Faculty Publications

Although oral coinfections (e.g., periodontal disease) are highly prevalent in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-positive (HIV-1⁺) patients and appear to positively correlate with viral load levels, the potential for oral bacteria to induce HIV-1 reactivation in latently infected cells has received little attention. We showed that HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter activation can be induced by periodontopathogens in monocytes/macrophages; nevertheless, the mechanisms involved in this response remain undetermined. Since Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), TLR4, and TLR9 activation have been involved in HIV-1 recrudescence, we sought to determine the role of these TLRs in HIV-1 reactivation induced by …

Application Of Prodrugs To Inflammatory Diseases Of The Gut, Helieh S. Oz, Jeffrey L. Ebersole

Center for Oral Health Research Faculty Publications

Oral delivery is the most common and preferred route of drug administration although the digestive tract exhibits several obstacles to drug delivery including motility and intraluminal pH profiles. The gut milieu represents the largest mucosal surface exposed to microorganisms with 10^10-12 colony forming bacteria/g of colonic content. Approximately, one third of fecal dry matter is made of bacteria/ bacterial components. Indeed, the normal gut microbiota is responsible for healthy digestion of dietary fibers (polysaccharides) and fermentation of short chain fatty acids such as acetate and butyrate that provide carbon sources (fuel) for these bacteria. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) results …

Efficacy Of The De Novo-Derived Antimicrobial Peptide Wlbu2 Against Oral Bacteria, Karen F. Novak, William J. Diamond, Sreenatha S. Kirakodu, Rebecca Peyyala, Kimberly W. Anderson, Ronald C. Montelaro, Timothy A. Mietzner

Center for Oral Health Research Faculty Publications

The efficacy of a novel synthetic antimicrobial peptide (WLBU2) was evaluated against three oral microorganisms (grown planktonically): Streptococcus gordonii, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Porphyromonas gingivalis. WLBU2 killed all three species, with F. nucleatum being the most susceptible. WLBU2 also reduced the bacterial burden of S. gordonii and F. nucleatum biofilms.