Researchers are increasingly studying the specifics of oral bacteria and their impact on overall health—both positive and negative. But when it comes to harmful bacteria, researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have found a new approach to suppress it.
“Current periodontal treatments focus on reducing bacterial load mechanically, but understanding how these bacteria evade immune responses opens new therapeutic possibilities,” says Prof. Gabriel Nussbaum of the Hebrew University Faculty of Dental Medicine.
Nussbaum and his team, in a study published in PNAS, found that the bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis exploits the protein CD47 to suppress immune responses, allowing it to persist in inflamed tissues and contribute to systemic diseases.
“Blocking CD47-TLR2 could represent a novel approach to managing chronic infections linked to oral and systemic health” Prof. Nussbaum.
Manipulating the immune system
By manipulating the immune system in this way, the bacteria can worsen oral inflammation and increase the risk of systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer.
This is why researchers believe that blocking CD47 or its ligand, thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), could offer a new strategy for improving bacterial clearance, leading to better periodontal and overall health.
“Blocking CD47-TLR2 could represent a novel approach to managing chronic infections linked to oral and systemic health,” Nussbaum said.
Study holds broad implications
This discovery holds broad implications beyond dentistry, given the strong correlation between periodontitis and other systemic conditions, including cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative disorders. Future research will explore how these findings can translate into clinical therapies to improve immune responses to persistent bacterial infections.
Highlighting the connection between oral and systemic health, researchers from New York University’s Rory Meyers College of Nursing recently called for oral health to be added to the list of 14 conditions considered risk factors for dementia. Another study found that flossing at least once a week may be linked to a lower risk of stroke caused by blood clots and irregular heartbeats.
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