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RESEARCHERS AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE STRENGTHEN LINK BETWEEN PERIODONTAL & HEART DISEASE
03 May 2004 - Boston University
| Strengthening the link between periodontal and heart disease, researchers at Boston University School of Medicine found they can prevent mice from developing P. gingivalis-accelerated heart disease by immunizing the mice with a vaccine that protects against periodontal disease. |
Strengthening the link between periodontal and heart disease, researchers at Boston University School of Medicine found they can prevent mice from developing P. gingivalis-accelerated heart disease by immunizing the mice with a vaccine that protects against periodontal disease. “Our new research shows if we immunize these mice with one of our newly-created vaccines that protect against periodontal disease, it will prevent the acceleration of atherosclerosis,” said principle investigator Caroline Genco, PhD, professor in the Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases and the Department of Microbiology at BUSM. Led by Genco and her collaborator Frank Gibson, PhD, BUSM researchers have previously shown the bacteria involved in periodontal disease can promote the buildup of artery clogging plaque, which in turn can lead to atherosclerosis and heart attack. In this study, researchers put bacteria into the mouths of mice genetically prone to develop heart disease. The bacteria were shown to spread from the mouth to the aorta via the bloodstream where they caused accelerated atherosclerosis. “This research further shows that only invasive P. gingivalis accelerates atherosclerosis in these mice that are prone to heart disease,” said Gibson, an instructor in the Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Disease. Chronic infectious diseases, including periodontal disease, are associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the periodontium that leads to erosion of the attachment apparatus and supporting bone for the teeth. It is one of the most common chronic infectious diseases of humans.
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Boston University has a well-deserved reputation for excellence in research in a wide range of disciplines and a demonstrated commitment to fostering innovative interdisciplinary research. The Office of the Associate Provost for Research and Graduate Education supports the University in facilitating research at the both the student and faculty levels.Our mission is to enhance and encourage research at Boston University and to provide a climate conducive to maintaining the University at the cutting edge of research and scholarly activities. We work with the Boston University community to plan and coordinate interdisciplinary research and represent the University in research matters related to Inter-University consortia. To encourage new, innovative, and cross-disciplinary efforts, this office administers the Special Program for Research Initiation Grants (SPRInG). We showcase graduate research at Science & Technology Day. This annual event features nearly 200 research posters by graduate students from both the Medical and Charles River Campuses working in a wide range of disciplines. Our annual research magazine, Research at Boston University, informs a wide audience about a selection of our significant research findings and ongoing studies at Boston University. We also maintain a strong presence on the web through this site and through the Science Coalition’s website, which brings our research successes to the attention of Congress and other policy makers in the federal government. To assist Boston University researchers, this office oversees the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program and coordinates with the Office of Sponsored Programs on the Charles River Campus , the research administration on the Medical Campus, the Office of Research Compliance, and the various graduate programs. For the development of commercially viable ideas, we administer the Provost's Innovation Fund and work closely with the Office of Technology Transfer. We also coordinate proposals where there are institutional limits to the number of proposals that may be submitted, cost sharing requirements, significant laboratory renovations, or other special circumstances. This office assists departments and centers to achieve a diverse faculty and graduate student body through our membership and activities with the Northeast Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate and through our affiliation with the Clare Boothe Luce program of the Henry Luce Foundation. |
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