Dentistry, Cancer, and Immunology Research Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards generated from the provided dentistry, cancer, and immunology research transcript, detailing molecular pathways, key research studies, and therapeutic mechanisms.

MHC-I Antigen Presentation Pathway

The biological pathway in which intracellular proteins are broken into peptides, loaded onto MHC-I molecules, and displayed on the cell surface for inspection by CD8+ cytotoxic T cells.

CD8+ Cytotoxic T Cells

Immune cells that inspect peptide-MHC-I complexes on the cell surface and attack cells that display abnormal, tumour-related peptides.

Luo et al. (2024) Oncogene Study

A review describing defects in the MHC-I antigen-presentation pathway in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma occurring at genetic, epigenetic, post-transcriptional, and post-translational levels.

Chronic Periodontitis

A common dental disease characterized by oral microbial dysbiosis and a chronic host inflammatory response involving cytokines and immune-cell alterations.

Bogdan-Andreescu et al. (2026) Study

A review in Biomedicines discussing periodontitis-induced inflammatory mediators such as IL-1$\beta$, IL-6, and TNF-\text{\textalpha}, alongside T-cell polarisation and PD-1/PD-L1 pathways in relation to cancer immunotherapy.

Ma et al. (2024) Study

A multicentre cohort study in Cancer Letters investigating periodontitis as an immune-related adverse event associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

PD-1 (Programmed Cell Death Protein 1)

An inhibitory receptor expressed on immune cells, including T cells, that dampens T-cell activity when bound by its ligand to prevent excessive immune damage.

PD-L1 (Programmed Death-Ligand 1)

A cell surface protein that binds to PD-1 to reduce T-cell activation, frequently exploited by tumour cells to evade immune surveillance.

Porphyromonas gingivalis

A key periodontal pathogen discussed in connection with host inflammatory response regulation and the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway.

Double-Edged Sword (PD-1/PD-L1 in Periodontitis)

The concept that increased PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitory signalling can reduce damaging host inflammation in periodontal tissue, while simultaneously allowing microbial persistence.

Oral Leukoplakia

An oral potentially malignant disorder (OPMD) that carries a risk of transforming into oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Chen et al. (2019) Study

A study in Pathology Research and Practice reporting detectable PD-L1 expression in 97.6\text{\textpercent} of OSCC, 61.9\text{\textpercent} of oral leukoplakia, and 0\text{\textpercent} of normal oral mucosa tissue samples.

EZH2

An epigenetic regulator investigated in a 2025 study alongside MHC-I antigen presentation and CD8+ T-cell responses in oral potentially malignant disease.

Three Requirements for Anti-Tumour Immune Response

A framework for understanding immunotherapy response based on 1. Recognition (MHC-I presentation), 2. Activation (checkpoint balance like PD-1/CTLA-4), and 3. Tumour Environment (stromal and ECM infiltration).

UCHL5

A gene identified in a 2025 Nature Communications CRISPR screening study whose loss increased CD8+ T-cell infiltration and improved responses to checkpoint blockade in preclinical oral carcinoma models.