HPD Research Day | February 16, 2018

18 Resnick Auditorium Resnick Auditorium 10:45 – 11:15 a.m. Oral Cancer Awareness and Knowledge Among Patients in a Florida Dental Clinic Lina Maria Mejia, DDS, MPH, Assistant Professor, College of Dental Medicine, Nova Southeastern University Angela Garcia, PharmD, MPH, CPh, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University Gabriel Suciu, MSPH, PhD, Associate Professor, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University Aim(s). The purpose of this study was (1) to assess the level of the public awareness and knowledge about early signs, symptoms and risk factors of oral cancer among dental patients visiting Nova Southeastern University (NSU) Dental Clinic in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and (2) to correlate the awareness and knowledge levels according to age, gender, ethnicity, education levels and marital status. Background. Oral cancers cause more than 130,000 deaths each year. Even though an oral cancer screening can be performed easily and without discomfort for the patient; these survival statistics have not improved over the past decade. In addition, incidence rates are currently increasing in many places around the world, particularly among younger individuals (aged less than 45 years). Methods. This study used dental patients who presented for routine scheduled appointments at the NSU Dental Clinic. Data collection was conducted from April through July 2015 and participation was confidential. A self-administered 26- question instrument was used to assess awareness and knowledge about Oral Cancer and sociodemographic information. Results. Three hundred thirty-eight patients participated; 50.3% were males and 49.7% females. The ages ranged from 18 thru 70+, with the mean age 55.3 years. Of the respondents, 47.3% were white, 29.2% Hispanic and 17% African–American. Of the respondents, 48.8% did not know anything about the disease; 45.2% knew a little, and only 6% considered they knew a lot. Conclusions. Based on the information for this Cohort there is a significant lack of awareness and knowledge about signs, symptoms and risk factors of oral cancer in the general population. Resnick Auditorium 11:15 – 11:45 a.m. OC-STAMP Promotes Osteoclast Fusion for Pathogenic Bone Resorption in Periodontitis via Upregulation of Permissive Fusogen CD9 Toshihisa Kawai, Ph.D., College of Dental Medicine, Nova Southeastern University Kenta Yamamoto, Ph.D., College of Dental Medicine, Nova Southeastern University Alexandru Movila, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, College of Dental Medicine, Nova Southeastern University Objectives. Multinuclear osteoclasts (OC) resulting from fusion between OC precursors plays a key role in bone resorption. Several cell-surface fusogens are involved in osteoclast cell-fusion, such as, CD9, osteoclast-stimulatory transmembrane protein (OC-STAMP) and dendritic cell-specific transmembrane protein (DC-STAMP). The object of this study was to elucidate the role of OC-STAMP in the OC-mediated pathogenic bone resorption using a mouse model of ligature-induced periodontitis. Methods. Effects of anti-OC-STAMP-neutralizing mAb on RANKL- induced osteoclastogenesis and cell fusion was monitored in vitro by TRAP-staining, while qPCR was performed for detection of CD9, OC-STAMP and DC-STAMP mRNAs. C57BL6/j mice that received ligature-attachment to the maxillary molar were treated with systemic administration of anti-OC-STAMP-mAb or control mAb, and level of periodontal bone loss and TRAP+ multinuclear OCs were monitored at Day-7. Results. Stimulation of mononuclear OC-precursors with RANKL in vitro induced cell fusion, whereas anti-OC-STAMP-neutralizing mAb down-modulated; 1) the emergence of large multinuclear TRAP+ OC cells, 2) pit formation and 3) mRNA and protein expression of CD9, but not DC-STAMP, in RANKL-stimulated OC-precursors. While anti-DC-STAMP- mAb also downregulated RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis in vitro, it had no effect on CD9 expression. Systemic administration of anti-OC-STAMP-mAb to ligature-received mice, compared to control mAb, suppressed the alveolar bone loss along with the diminished expression of CD9 mRNA and reduced emergence TRAP+ multinuclear osteoclasts. Conclusions. The present study demonstrated that OC-STAMP is engaged in pathogenic