Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Immunity

Human periodontal disease (e.g., periodontitis) results from interactions between specific sub-gingival biofilm and host immune/inflammatory response; and it is a prime cause and global epidemic of tooth loss in adults. Patients who have periodontits may demonstrate increased risk for developing coronary heart diseases, diabetes, bacterial pneumonia and pre-term low birth-weigh babies.

The Molecular Microbial Immunity lab has been focused on studying the molecular pathogenesis of human periodontitis in vivo and has established a humanized mouse model (human peripheral blood leukocytes, HuPBL, engrafted-NOD/SCID mice) to aid our investigations.

By using this unique mouse model and periodontal immunity-based expression cloning strategy, we have recently discovered: i) critical human T-cell-associated osteoclastogenic factor, Receptor Activator of NF-kB Ligand (RANKL), that controls osteoclast differentiation, activation and interactions with RANK and/or OPG (osteoprotegerin) molecules to regulate alveolar bone loss and remodeling in vivo, and ii) novel microbial virulence factors (CagE & OMP1 of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans-Aa, a key human periodontal pathogen forming the “infectious biofilm”) associated with tissue inflammation and destructive immunity in active periodontitis in vivo.

Current research projects include:

1. Human immune-microbial interactions in vivo: humanized NOD/SCID mouse model engrafted by immunocompetent human peripheral blood leukocytes to study G(-) anaerobic infections on mucosal surfaces such as human periodontitis or infections in oral cavity

2. Anaerobes: antigen-presenting cells (APC): T cell interactions during early phase of infection and biofilm formation

3. Exacerbated or aberrant host immunity to microbial infections associated with type-1 diabetes by using the NOD mouse model and the subsequent molecular interactions of T-cell-mediated immuno-regulation associated with bone remodeling

4. The cellular and molecular interactions between specific bacterial virulence factors (i.e., CagE homologue and OMP1 of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans) and the host immunity using humanized mouse model or genetically altered mouse models

5. Human-insulin transgenic mouse model to study the basic mechanisms of T-cell tolerance (i.e., clonal deletion, clonal anergy and immune regulation)

6. QC-PCR in clinical diagnostic applications

7. Clinical application(s) of RANKL/RANK and OPG in human periodontitis

Recent Publications and Presentations

Funding sources:

NIDCR-NIH; CIHR-Canadian Institute of Health Research, Canada; Ministry of Health of Ontario, Ontario, Canada; London Health Sciences Center, London, Canada.

For research projects and positions available, please contact::

Andy Y-T. Teng, DDS, MS, Ph.D
Associate Professor
Lab of Molecular Microbial Immunity
Eastman Dental Center
625 Elmwood Avenue
Rochester, New York 14620-2989
585-275-7309
Fax:585-473-5453
Email: andy_teng@urmc.rochester.edu