Faculty Pages - UF College of Dentistry

Myriam Bélanger

Center for Molecular Microbiology
    and Department of Oral Biology

Research Assistant Professor
(352) 392-5937
mbelanger@dental.ufl.edu

Ph.D., University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 1994

M.Sc., University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada,1990

B.Sc., University of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, 1988

Main Interests:

Porphyromonas gingivalis is recognized as an important etiological agent in adult periodontal disease. There is growing evidence that P. gingivalis is related to other chronic and systemic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and adverse pregnancy outcomes. P. gingivalis expresses many virulence factors such as hemagglutinins, fimbriae, lipopolysaccharides, capsular material and proteases that have been implicated in its pathogenesis.

P. gingivalis can invade both epithelial and endothelial cells, but uses different mechanisms for each. We are currently working on defining a model for the interactions of P. gingivalis with endothelial layers of the vasculature. It is likely that the interaction of P. gingivalis with these cells has a significant effect on the progression of atherosclerosis. These studies are important as cardiovascular diseases including atherosclerosis are a major cause of death in developed countries.

Preterm birth is also a major concern in USA and other countries. We are investigating the mechanisms by which P. gingivalis virulence factors and the host immune system interact to cause adverse pregnancy outcomes.

In addition, we are investigating the possibility that hemagglutinins play a role in adherence and invasion during the infection process using gingival epithelial and primary coronary artery endothelial cell lines. We also aim at identifying the eukaryotic surface receptor molecules required for adhesion and/or internalization of P. gingivalis.

Selected Publications:

Bélanger, M., P. Rodrigues, and A. Progulske-Fox. 2006. Genetic manipulation of Porphyromonas gingivalis. Chapter 13. Unit 13C.3. In Current Protocols in Microbiology. Ed. Coico et al., John Wiley &Sons, Inc.

LeCorn, D.W., F.J. Vertucci, M.F. Rojas, A. Progulske-Fox, and M. Bélanger. 2006. In vitro activity of amoxicillin, clindamycin, doxycycline, metronidazole, and moxifloxacin against oral Actinomyces. In Press. J. Endod.

Clegg, M.S., F.J. Vertucci, C. Walker, M. Bélanger, and L.R. Britto. 2006. The effect of different irrigants on the endodontic biofilm. In Press. J. Endod.

Melker, K.B., F.J. Vertucci, M.F. Rojas, A. Progulske-Fox and M. Bélanger. 2006. Antimicrobial efficacy of medicated root canal filling materials. J. Endod. 32:148-151.

Song, H., M. Bélanger, J. Whitlock, E. Kozarov, and A. Progulske-Fox. 2005. Hemagglutinin B is involved in the adherence of Porphyromonas gingivalis to human coronary artery endothelial cells. Infect. Immun. 73:7267-7273.

Cwikla, S.J., M. Bélanger, S. Giguère, A. Progulske-Fox, and F.J. Vertucci. 2005. Dentinal tubule disinfection using three calcium hydroxide formulations. J. Endod. 31:50-52.

Knowles, T.T., A.R. Alleman, H.L. Sorenson, D.C. Marciano, E.B. Breitschwerdt, S. Harrus, A.F. Barbet, and M. Bélanger. 2003. Characterization of the major antigenic protein 2 of Ehrlichia canis and Ehrlichia chaffeensis and its application for the serodiagnosis of ehrlichiosis. Clin. Diagn. Lab. Immunol. 10:520-524.

Barbet, A.F., P.F.M. Meeus, M. Bélanger, M.V. Bowie, J. Yi, A.M. Lundgren, A.R. Alleman, S.J. Wong, F.K. Chu, U.G. Munderloh, and S.D. Jauron. 2003. Expression of multiple outer membrane protein sequence variants from a single genomic locus of Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Infect. Immun. 71:1706-1718.

Bélanger, M., H.L. Sorenson, M.K. France, M.V. Bowie, A.F. Barbet, E.B. Breitschwerdt, and A.R. Alleman. 2002. Comparison of serological detection methods for the diagnosis of Ehrlichia canis infections in dogs. J. Clin. Microbiol. 40:3506-3508.

Alleman, A.R., L.J. McSherry, A.F. Barbet, E.B. Breitschwerdt, H.L. Sorenson, M.V. Bowie, and M. Bélanger. 2001. Recombinant major antigenic protein 2 of Ehrlichia canis: a potential diagnostic tool. J. Clin. Microbiol. 39:2494-2499.

Alleman, A.R., A.F. Barbet, M.V. Bowie, H.L. Sorenson, S.J. Wong, and M. Bélanger. 2000. Expression of a gene encoding the major antigenic protein 2 homolog of Ehrlichia chaffeensis and potential application for serodiagnosis. J. Clin. Microbiol. 38:3705-3709.

Zhao, X., C. Creuzenet, M. Bélanger, E. Egbosimba, J. Li, and J.S. Lam. 2000. WbpO, a UDP-N-acetyl- D -galactosamine dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa serotype O6. J. Biol. Chem. 275:33252-33259.

Creuzenet, C., M. Bélanger, W.W. Wakarchuk, and J.S. Lam. 2000. Expression, purification and biochemical characterization of WbpP, a new UDP-GlcNAc C4 epimerase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa serotype O6. J. Biol. Chem. 275:19060-19067.

Bélanger, M., L.L. Burrows, and J.S. Lam. 1999. Functional analysis of genes responsible for synthesis of B-band O antigen of Pseudomonas aeruginosa serotype O6 lipopolysaccharide. Microbiology. 145:3505-3521.