# Investigation of FadA adhesin from Fusobacterium nucleatum

> **NIH NIH R01** · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2021 · $380,864

## Abstract

Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn), a Gram-negative anaerobe, is one of the most prevalent oral
species associated with extra-oral infections and inflammation, including Alzheimer’s disease
(AD). Serum anti-Fn antibody levels have been found to be significantly higher in AD patients
compared to the controls. We have recently discovered that the FadA adhesin of Fn exhibits
amyloid-like properties. The amyloid-like FadA mediates binding and invasion of host cells.
Accumulation of amyloid proteins is a hallmark of AD. Therefore, we hypothesize that amyloid-
like FadA plays a role in AD. Testing this hypothesis is a natural extension of our parent R01,
which investigates the role of amyloid-like FadA in Fn virulence, yet not focused on AD. Thus,
this supplement application is responsive to the following Notice of Special Interest:
Alzheimer’s-focused administrative supplements for NIH grants that are not focused on
Alzheimer’s disease (NOT-AG-20-034). We propose to examine the presence of Fn and
amyloid-like FadA in AD specimens and compare to matched controls. The ability of amyloid-
like FadA in inducing AD-associated pathologies will be examined in both in vitro and in vivo
models. Results from this study will shed novel lights on the etiology and mechanism of AD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10289048
- **Project number:** 3R01DE029532-02S1
- **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:** $380,864
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-09-10 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10289048

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10289048, Investigation of FadA adhesin from Fusobacterium nucleatum (3R01DE029532-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10289048. Licensed CC0.

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