Japanese

Oral and Maxillofacial Pathobiology

【Research Keyword】
Oral systemic disease connection, experimental pathology, periodontitis, salivary gland tumor, odontogenic tumor and histopathological diagnosis

【Recent highlights】
1. We determined periodontal pathogens could reach liver via blood circulation and cause progression of liver fibrosis through TGF-beta and Galectin-3 production. 2.Elimination of periodontal pathogen by antibiotic reduced liver inflammation and fibrosis.
2. We determined dental infection with periodontal pathogens induced preterm birth through Galectin-3.
3. We found the role of lactoferrin in periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis as an agent for prevention and therapy.
4. A undergraduate students (advanced research course) was selected as Japanese representative of student clinician research program.

【Education】
Pathology is the study of the causes and mechanisms of diseases and aims to set standards for diagnosis to support the development of novel therapies. Our lectures provide a study of oral diseases and general diseases and their relationship to clinical application, which permit students to have a solid basis of dentistry.

【Research】
Our research activities are:

By studying the mechanism of destruction and regeneration of periodontal tissues and missing links between periodontitis and systemic diseases, we focus on developing novel periodontal diagnostic examination and therapy.
Developing a lactoferrin peptide drug for the control of bone-destroying diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and periodontitis
By determining the cellular differentiation of odontogenic and salivary gland tumors, we focus on setting criteria of pathological diagnosis of the tumors.

【Figure 1】 Mechanisms which periodontal pathogen; porphyromonas gingivalis promotes liver fibrosis

【Figure 2】 Elimination of odontogenic infection of porphyromonas gingivalis　by dental treatment (DT) improved liver inflammation and fibrosis.（HFD：High fat diet feeding, P.g.: odontogenic infection, DT: dental treatment）