February 24, 2025 – Oral bacteria suppress immune responses, which causes severe gum infection (periodontitis) and risk for other diseases, according to a new study by Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers. The study, published in PNAS, sheds light on how the pathogen CD47 manipulates the immune system, causing inflamed oral tissues and increasing the risk of systemic diseases like cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, and cancer.
When a bacterium exploits the protein CD47 to suppress immune responses, it can persist in inflamed tissues and contribute to systemic diseases. The researchers believe that blocking CD47 or its ligand thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) (a molecule or ion that binds to another molecule or atom) could offer a new strategy for improving bacterial clearance that leads to better periodontal and overall health.
Prof. Gabriel Nussbaum, from the Hebrew University Faculty of Dental Medicine, and his team researched both in vitro (laboratory produced) and in vivo (living organism) models to uncover a novel immune evasion mechanism used by Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), a key bacterial culprit behind periodontitis infection.
“Current periodontal treatments focus on reducing bacterial load mechanically, but understanding how these bacteria evade immune responses opens new therapeutic possibilities,” Prof. Nussbaum says. “Blocking CD47-TLR2 could represent a novel approach to managing chronic infections linked to oral and systemic health.”
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 for improving immune responses to persistent bacterial infections.
The research paper titled “CD47 and thrombospondin-1 contribute to immune evasion by Porphyromonas gingivalis” is now available in PNAS and can be accessed here.
Researchers:
Sarah Angaboa1, Karthikeyan Pandia1, Keren Davida1, Orit Steinmetza1, Hasnaa Makkawia1, Maria Farhata1, Luba Eli-Berchoera1, Nadeem Darawshia1, Hiromichi Kawasaki1,2 and Gabriel Nussbaum1
Institutions:
1) Institute of Biomedical and Oral Research, Hebrew University-Hadassah Faculty of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
2) Central Research Institute, Wakunaga Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Hiroshima 739-1195, Japan
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