Award
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research 5R01DE031756-04
Regulation and Manipulation of Oral Type III Interferon Responses by Porphyromonas gingivalis
Recipient
Research Institute Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
Award Amount
$417,169.00
Ceiling
$417,169.00
Awarded
December 04, 2025
Identifier
5R01DE031756-04
Research grant awarded to study how Porphyromonas gingivalis affects oral Type III interferon responses and antiviral immunity, focusing on viral clearance and bacterial persistence.
Description
This project addresses the nature of interferon (IFN)-based antiviral responses at the oral mucosal barrier, and the bacterial factors that impact their efficacy. IFNs are critical cytokines in limiting viral infection. The study focuses on Type III IFNs (IFN-λs), which are preferentially expressed by oral epithelial cells and confer broad-spectrum antiviral immunity. The bacterial colonizer Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), associated with periodontal disease, dampens IFN signaling in response to viral agonists, potentially increasing susceptibility to oral viral infections and chronic inflammation.