UR Faculty: Andy Teng

	Andy Teng Associate Professor of Dentistry, and of Microbiology & Immunology Primary Academic Appointment: Division of Periodontics, Eastman Dental Center GEBS Cluster Affiliations: IMV - Immunology, Microbiology, and Virology Oral Biology
Research: Infectious Biofilm and Mucosal Immunity
Contact Information: E-Mail: Andy_Teng@URMC.Rochester.edu
University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry Box 683, Rm-008/009 Concourse level Div. of Periodontics Eastman Dental Center Rochester, New York 14642	Eastman Dental Center Phone: (585) 275-7309 Fax: (585) 473-9573

Research Overview

Our lab investigates the cellular and molecular mechanisms of human immune-parasite interactions in vivo by using a unique humanized mouse model (human peripheral blood leukocytes (hPBL)-engrafted immunodeficient NOD/SCID mice) followed by oral inoculation with anaerobic microorganism (i.e., Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans - Aa) on mucosal surface (forming an infectious biofilm) and immunity-based expression cloning strategies. To this end, we have discovered that: i) microorganism-reactive human CD4+T cells express an osteoclastogenic cytokine, RANKL (receptor activator of NF-kB ligand) that controls osteoclast differentiation and activation and interacts with RANK and/or OPG (osteoprotegerin) molecules to regulate bone loss or/and remodeling in vivo; ii) critical bacterial virulence factors identified (i.e., CagE-homolog of Aa) induce apoptosis (program cell death) of multiple human cell types and subsequently mediate destructive immunity, leading to tissue/cell injuries and bone loss in vitro and in vivo.

Current research projects include: (1) analysis of human immune responses to mucosal infection with anaerobic microorganisms (including human periodontal pathogens and other oral microbes), using hPBL-NOD/SCID mice; (2) interactions between bacterial virulence factors i.e., CagE homolog of Aa) and host immune responses using hBL-NOD/SCID mice or genetically altered mouse models; (3) analysis of exacerbated or aberrant host immunity to microbial infections associated with type-1 diabetes by using the NOD mouse model and (4) use of human-insulin transgenic mice to study basic mechanisms of T-cell tolerance.

Recent Publications

Teng YT. The role of acquired immunity and periodontal disease progression. Crit Rev Oral Biol Med. 14:237-52, 2003. Review.

Teng YT, Hu W. Expression cloning of a periodontitis-associated apoptotic effector, cagE homologue, in Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 303:1086-94, 2003.

Gao X, Teng YT. T-cell-receptor gene usage of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans-reactive periodontal CD4+ T cells from localized juvenile periodontitis patients and human peripheral blood leukocyte-reconstituted NOD/SCID mice. Periodontal Res. 37:399-404, 2002.

Teng YT. Mixed periodontal Th1-Th2 cytokine profile in Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans-specific osteoprotegerin ligand (or RANK-L)- mediated alveolar bone destruction in vivo. Infect Immun. 70:5269-73, 2002.

Teng YT, Nguyen H, Gao X, Kong YY, Gorczynski RM, Singh B, Ellen RP, Penninger JM. Functional human T-cell immunity and osteoprotegerin ligand control alveolar bone destruction in periodontal infection. J Clin Invest. 106:R59-67, 2000.

PubMed Publication List

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Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology

GEBS Clusters:

IMV