The effect of ozonised amino acids and their isolated active components on inflammation-associated signal transduction and in a model of periodontitis, together with analysis of mutagenesis

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Karin Christine Huth
• Subject Area: Dentistry, Oral Surgery
• Term: from 2013 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 234417066

The starting point for this proposed project was our discovery that defined, ozonised amino acids (primarily cysteine and trytophan) show an inhibitory effect, in oral cells, on the NF-kappaB system, which can be seen as a paradigm for inflammation-associated signal transduction and transcription (Huth et al., 2007). The applicant was awarded a patent for this discovery. The overriding goal is now the development of a highly active anti-inflammatory substance to be used in the treatment of inflammatory processes, such as chronic periodontitis. This has great clinical relevance, since, despite the fact that periodontitis is caused by periodontal pathogenic bacteria, the actual tissue damage occurs through the activity of the local immune response in a chronic inflammatory process. This is the cause of 30-35% of tooth extractions and a prevalence of moderate periodontitis of 52.7% (35-44 year olds). Distinct from the work shown in the previous publication, it is now necessary to isolate and identify the actual active components found in the reaction mix formed following ozonisation of the amino acids. The isolated effective agents will be examined with respect to potential toxic and mutagenic properties and their inhibitory mechanism in the NF-kappaB signalling pathway upstream of NF-kappaB activation will be characterised. Finally, the anti-inflammatory effectiveness of the active components of the ozonised amino acids within a clinical inflammatory process will be tested in a mouse model of periodontitis.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Persons: Privatdozent Dr. Jürgen Durner; Professor Dr. Franz-Xaver Reichl