Today, during the 39th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental Research, convening at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC, lead researcher O.A. Gonzalez (University of Kentucky, Lexington) will present a poster of a study titled "TLR2 and TLR9 Activation by Periodontal Pathogens induce HIV-1 Reactivation." Although oral co-infections (e.g. periodontal disease) are highly prevalent in HIV-1 patients and appear to positively correlate with viral load levels, the potential for oral bacteria to induce HIV-1 reactivation in latently infected cells has received little attention. The researchers involved in this study have proved that periodontal pathogens enhanced HIV-1 promoter activation in T-cells, monocytes/macrophages and dendritic cells; however the mechanisms involved in this response remain undetermined.

An Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientist is helping to sort through the jumbled genetics of Echinacea, the coneflower known for its blossoms--and its potential for treating infections, inflammation, and other human ailments.

Dr. Marc McKee, of McGill's Faculty of Dentistry and the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, is collaborating closely with Enobia Pharma Inc, a Quebec biotech company, to develop innovative treatments for serious genetic bone diseases. McKee's research looks into the reasons why calcium-phosphate mineral fails to crystallize properly to form strong bones and teeth. While osteoporosis later in life is an example of bone density deficiency, this research applies to patients, especially children, who never properly mineralized their skeletons to begin with.