Antibodies present in people with good oral health could help dental professionals assess a patient's probable response to periodontal disease treatments, researchers at the University of Michigan have found.
The antibodies act on a protein called HtpG, the bug that makes it is Porphyromonas gingivalis, an important pathogen in periodontal disease. The antibody also has potential as a vaccine candidate, according to Charles Shelburne, assistant research scientist at the UM School of Dentistry.
Researchers discovered that the HtpG antibodies were present in much lower amounts in people with periodontal disease, and in much higher concentrations in those with healthier teeth and gums. Typically, antibodies are elevated in people with disease, because they help fight the disease.
Not only were the HtpG antibodies present in higher amounts in people with healthier gums, those patients with the antibodies responded better to periodontal treatment.
In the long run, this discovery could lead to early interventional therapy to prevent periodontal disease from advancing, or even starting.
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, a division of the National Institutes of Health, funded the project.
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