# Investigation of FadA adhesin from Fusobacterium nucleatum

> **NIH NIH R01** · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2021 · $553,969

## Abstract

Project Summary
Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) is a Gram-negative oral commensal that is quickly attracting attention of the
medical and research community. It is an opportunistic pathogen implicated in periodontal disease as well as in
infections at numerous extra-oral sites, including adverse pregnancy outcomes and colorectal cancer. FadA is
a novel adhesin and key virulence factor from Fn. It is required from Fn to bind and invade epithelial and
endothelial cells and to colonize the placenta and colorectal carcinoma. FadA binds to VE-cadherin on
endothelial cells and E-cadherin on epithelial and colorectal cancer cells, inducing varying responses from
different host cells. Our recent study reveals that FadA is differentially regulated and secreted. The secreted
FadA exhibits amyloid-like properties and correlates with increased virulence. As Fn is considered a primarily
commensal organism, the question arises how it switches from a commensal to a pathogen. Our central
hypothesis is that the commensal and pathogenic states are determined through regulation of FadA. In
this application, we propose to characterize the amyloid-like properties of FadA, identify components involved
in its secretion, and determine its role in biofilm formation and periodontal infection. This study is highly
significant because it characterizes a novel and critical virulence component from a pathogen involved in
multiple debilitating human diseases. Results from our study will identify therapeutic targets for prevention and
treatment of a series of human diseases within and beyond the oral cavity.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10260587
- **Project number:** 5R01DE029532-02
- **Recipient organization:** COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Yiping Han
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $553,969
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-09-10 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10260587

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10260587, Investigation of FadA adhesin from Fusobacterium nucleatum (5R01DE029532-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10260587. Licensed CC0.

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