# Peptide-Polymer Engineering Dentin/Adhesive Interfacial Bond Integrity

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LAWRENCE · 2024 · $282,093

## Abstract

Project Summary
The cycle of repeated composite-restoration replacements is a pernicious problem—each replacement risks
pulpal injury, increased tooth weakness, and eventually, tooth loss. The problem is pervasive—nearly 70% of all
composite restorations are replacements and the leading cause of failure is recurrent marginal decay. Unlike
amalgam, composite lacks the inherent capability to seal discrepancies at the material/tooth interface. The
adhesive that bonds the composite to the tooth is intended to seal the interface, but the adhesive seal to dentin
is fragile—it is readily damaged by acids, enzymes, and other oral fluids. Bacteria and bacterial by-products
infiltrate the resulting marginal gaps, demineralize and decompose the tooth, and further erode the adhesive,
leading to wider and deeper gaps that create an ideal environment for bacteria to proliferate. Biodegradation by-
products accumulate at the dentin/adhesive interface and increase the virulence of cariogenic bacteria,
provoking a positive feedback loop that escalates the degradation. There is an urgent need to address this
composite/tooth-interface vulnerability through multi-factorial approaches that: i) remineralize damaged dentin;
ii) inhibit bacterial attack; and iii) provide durable polymers. Recent findings from our lab offer significant promise
for meeting this need. First, we have synthesized novel self-strengthening polymers—the self-strengthening
mechanism provides a persistent, intrinsic reinforcement of the polymer network in both neutral and acidic
conditions. We have engineered antimicrobial and remineralizing peptides and tethered them to self-
strengthening-adhesive monomers. Building on our progress, we propose to use both engineered peptides and
antibacterial agents tethered to novel polymers to provide a “bio-hybrid” adhesive that will serve as a durable
barrier to recurrent decay. Our threefold strategy exploits: (i) polymer-tethered engineered peptides and
antibacterial agents to simultaneously provide antibacterial activity, delay biofilm formation, and remineralize
dentin; (ii) self-strengthening polymers that resist hydrolysis-mediated degradation; and (iii) iterative feedback
between synthesis, characterization, and modeling to forecast performance under relevant in vivo conditions.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10895331
- **Project number:** 5R01DE025476-10
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LAWRENCE
- **Principal Investigator:** Paulette Spencer
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $282,093
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-08-12 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10895331

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10895331, Peptide-Polymer Engineering Dentin/Adhesive Interfacial Bond Integrity (5R01DE025476-10). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10895331. Licensed CC0.

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