Federal Grant Award Summary

Oregon Health & Science University received a $429,000 Project Grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) under the Oral Diseases and Disorders Research program (CFDA 93.121), awarded on July 15, 2026, with a completion date of July 14, 2028. The project investigates the immunomodulatory mechanisms by which extracellular membrane vesicles (EMVs) from the oral commensal bacterium Streptococcus sanguinis regulate interferon signaling in oral epithelial cells. Using biochemical, proteomic, and transcriptomic approaches, the research will characterize how the subtilisin-like protease SSA1882, enriched in S. sanguinis EMVs, disrupts type I interferon signaling and downstream JAK/STAT pathways in gingival and salivary epithelial cells, with comparisons to other oral streptococci.

The research will also assess systemic immune effects by evaluating B and T cell activation and differentiation in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. This investigation addresses dysregulated interferon signaling implicated in autoimmune diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus, Behçet disorder, and primary Sjögren's syndrome. By elucidating the connection between oral microbial ecology and adaptive immune regulation, the project may identify novel therapeutic targets for autoimmune disease management and establish previously unrecognized roles for gram-positive bacterial vesicles in host immune regulation.