Sensor-Actor Systems to Combat Oral Peri-Implant Infections

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Henning Menzel; Professorin Dr. Meike Stiesch; Professorin Dr. Dagmar Wirth
• Subject Area: Dentistry, Oral Surgery
• Term: from 2014 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 254381848

Dental implants exhibit a high prevalence of bacterial infections. These lead to inflammation, accompanied by tissue destruction, which can have serious consequences for the patient. During the research project novel implant systems are to be developed that permit specific release of antibacterial active substances (so-called effectors) as a reaction to the initial phase of infection. Thus, the release of the antibacterial effectors will be coupled to the infection or colonization, both spatially and temporally. During this project sensor-actor systems are to be developed that detect the signals by a sensor and activate an actor (signal conversion) through a trigger. The actor then releases effectors and thus initiates intervention. In order to implement these developments, the first step is to develop synthetic CELLULAR SENSOR-ACTOR SYSTEMS. With these systems the issues of principle can be examined related to the requirements for effective sensor systems and their conversion or possibly amplification in vitro and in the mouse model. Moreover, these cellular sensor systems can be used to amplify the signals and be coupled to ACELLULAR (CHEMICAL) ACTOR SYSTEMS. The first phase of the project will include quantitative studies on the necessary concentrations of signals and effectors, as well as the spatial conditions. This is to lead to the development of prototypes that demonstrate the feasibility in principle of these strategies in the mouse model. The insights won are to smooth the way to the development of acellular sensor-actor systems, in which chemical sensors are coupled to chemical effector systems. In the long term, the biomarkers and anti-biofilm active substances identified in the project ANALYSIS OF PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF ORAL MULTI-SPECIES BIOFILMS AND IDENTIFICATION / CHARACTERISATION OF NOVAL ANTI-BIOFILM SUBSTANCES are to be used as signals or effectors for the developed sensor-actor systems. The pioneering basic research in synthetic biology on the production of cellular sensors, the applied polymer chemistry for the development of acellular sensors and the biofilm research are not only of importance for the immediate area of research. It is more the case that the integration of this knowledge on the development of implant-coupled sensor-effector systems may lead to a consistent improvement in the long-term prognosis for dental implants. Aside from the resulting long-term reduction in morbidity and costs for dental treatment, the project could make an essential contribution to the development of alternative strategies for the prevention, diagnosis and therapy of implant-associated infection, even in other areas of medicine.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Persons: Dr. Hansjörg Hauser; Dr. Andreas Winkel