# Single cell analysis of healthy and diseased temporomandibular joint synovial fluid

> **NIH NIH UH3** · THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $584,995

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJDs) are a set of complex, poorly understood painful conditions that
profoundly impact the quality of life of many children and adults in the US. Patients presenting with TMJDs often
respond well to conservative therapy, but some patients endure multiple surgical procedures without relief.
Indeed, the profound lack of mechanistic knowledge underpinning TMJDs has hindered the development of
evidence-based therapy. As a result, there is a critical need to utilize the most recent technological advances in
molecular biology towards developing novel therapeutic targets to improve care. In this project, we propose to
utilize single cell RNA sequencing (sc-RNAseq) to identify and classify the cell populations and gene expression
in TMJ synovial fluid. Our central hypothesis is that synovial fluid from symptomatic TMJD patients contains a
unique cell population that is directly correlated to TMJ pain. In the UH2 phase of this project, we will develop
the protocols for obtaining high quality TMJ synovial fluid and blood from healthy and symptomatic TMJD
patients. In the UH3 phase of this project, we will perform single cell RNA sequencing and analysis on TMJ
synovial fluid and blood from both healthy and symptomatic TMJD patients. We hypothesize that synovial fluid
from symptomatic TMJD patients contains a unique cell population that can be identified by single cell RNA
sequencing, is correlated with pain but not joint derangement, is present in blood from TMJD patients
immediately preceding worsening symptoms, and is not present in healthy controls. The results from this study
will provide mechanistic data at the single cell level regarding the initiation and resolution of TMJD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11014240
- **Project number:** 4UH3DE032204-02
- **Recipient organization:** THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Hien T. Dang
- **Activity code:** UH3 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $584,995
- **Award type:** 4N
- **Project period:** 2024-09-01 → 2026-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11014240

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11014240, Single cell analysis of healthy and diseased temporomandibular joint synovial fluid (4UH3DE032204-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11014240. Licensed CC0.

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