SARS-CoV-2 tropism and immunomodulation in salivary gland

Project Summary/Abstract SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in a variety of human tissues, including the salivary gland. While its behavior in the respiratory tract has been widely studied, relatively little is known about how this virus interacts with oral tissues and the local immune environment. The salivary gland may serve as a unique site of viral presence and immunological modulation, particularly through pathways involving non-classical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules. This project aims to investigate fundamental aspects of the innate immune response to SARS-CoV-2 within the salivary gland, with a focus on the molecular interactions between virus- or host-derived peptides and components of the mucosal immune system. In particular, we will explore how antigen presentation mechanisms may shape or reflect local immune activity in this tissue. Identifying such mechanisms will advance our understanding of tissue-specific immune regulation and viral tropism. The proposed research is designed to clarify basic molecular and cellular processes that underlie host-pathogen interactions in the oral cavity. By studying immunological dynamics in the salivary gland, this work will contribute to a framework for understanding mucosal immunity and may reveal foundational principles of immune surveillance in non-respiratory tissues.