“Owing to a rare genetic mutation, individuals with leukocyte adhesion deficiency type 1 (LAD1) experience a suite of symptoms that trace back to an immune system dysfunction. Many have recurrent bacterial infections and gum disease so serious that they often lose their teeth at an early age.  In a new study in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, School of Dental Medicine researchers and […]

“During inflammation, cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) activate the vascular endothelium to promote leukocyte recruitment into the affected tissues. Leukocytes in the blood first roll along the endothelium and then undergo firm arrest, which depends on adhesive interactions between leukocyte integrins and the endothelial cell surface. The leukocytes then extravasate and migrate to the inflamed site. Ziogas et al. […]

“By pinpointing the underlying cause of one of the most common dental ailments—periodontal disease— Dr. George Hajishengallis forged a path to relief for patients beyond the dentist’s chair. Dr. Hajishengallis, Thomas W. Evans Centennial Professor in Penn Dental Medicine’s Department of Microbiology, has spent most of his career studying periodontitis, an oral disease marked by microbe-driven inflammation of the tissues […]

“Health conditions that involve inflammation run the gamut, from multiple sclerosis and lupus to arthritis, diabetes, and cancer. While inflammation can serve as a normal response to help the body deal with injury or infection, problems arise when it persists, potentially harming surrounding tissues. To prevent or ameliorate this damage, the body relies on a strategy to actively clear inflammation. […]

“T cells help fight off infection, but they can go overboard. A new study led by researchers at the School of Dental Medicine and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) shows that a subset of T cells contributes to the problematic inflammation and bone loss that is associated with periodontitis, a severe form of gum disease. The research, conducted with the help of animal […]

“An unhealthy population of microbes in the mouth triggers specialized immune cells that inflame and destroy tissues, leading to the type of bone loss associated with a severe form of gum disease, according to a new study in mice and humans. The research, led by scientists from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) at the National Institutes […]

“Dentists and doctors may be able to “train” their patients’ innate immune cells to protect against infections in the mouth, at a time when the risk of infection is high, such as during chemotherapy, according to a recent study in Cell. “This innate immune training takes place in the bone marrow and results in the production of increased numbers of white […]

“When you receive a vaccine against a disease like polio or influenza, your immune system gears up to defend against that particular infection. If you wind up getting chickenpox instead, or even a slightly different strain of the flu, you would be out of luck. That’s because traditional vaccines enlist the adaptive immune system, the functions of which are carried […]

“Bone marrow contains hematopoetic stem cells, the precursors to every blood cell type. These cells spring into action following bone marrow transplants, bone marrow injury and during systemic infection, creating new blood cells, including immune cells, in a process known as hematopoiesis. A new study led by University of Pennsylvania and Technical University of Dresden scientists has identified an important regulator of this process, […]

“A partnership between a School of Dental Medicine professor and a scientist at the National Institutes of Health, sparked by a chance meeting, has led to a successful new treatment for a rare genetic disorder. “This is really exciting because we see that a treatment performed in mice in our laboratory directly paved the way to a novel clinical treatment for a […]