# Interaction of Bordetella pertussis with human nasal epithelium

> **NIH NIH R21** · OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $236,250

## Abstract

Summary
Bordetella pertussis (Bp), a gram-negative bacterium is the causative agent of whooping cough or pertussis, an
acute disease primarily in infants and young children. Despite high vaccination coverage, pertussis is resurging
in many countries including the USA. Bp infection in vaccinated individuals cause mild symptoms or are
asymptomatic. This results in severe underreporting of global pertussis incidence. Current acellular pertussis
vaccines (aPV) elicit suboptimal and short-lived immunity and fail to prevent the colonization of the nasal cavity.
These infected individuals serve as a reservoir for bacterial transmission. Since Bp is restricted to humans as
hosts and has no environmental or animal reservoir, it is critical to utilize model systems that resemble the
environment of the human respiratory tract. Traditionally, the focus of Bp research has been on studying its
interactions and pathogenesis in the context of lower respiratory tract and by utilizing animal models. The
mechanisms utilized by Bp to survive and establish persistent infection in the human nasal cavity are poorly
understood. We hypothesize that attachment to nasal epithelium followed by biofilm formation are key
determinants of long-term infection of Bp in the human nasopharynx. In this proposal, we will use primary well-
differentiated human nasal epithelial cultures (HNEC) grown at the air-liquid interface. These primary HNECs
produce mucus, are ciliated and mimic the human nasal environment. In Specific Aim 1, we will determine (i)
how Bp attaches, establishes colonizes and forms biofilms on HNEC; (ii) the role of known virulence factors in
facilitating HNEC infection and (iii) how Bp infection alters the cellular and morphological characteristics of
HNEC.
Infection often elicits a dynamic cascade of events resulting in the adaptation of both the host and the pathogen.
The crosstalk between Bp and the nasal cells following infection is yet to be investigated. We hypothesize that
infection of nasal cavity by Bp triggers transcriptional changes in both the bacterial and host cells resulting in
shaping of the infection process. In Specific Aim 2, we will use high throughput dual RNA sequencing technology
to analyze the changes in the transcriptome of both Bp and HNEC. With the proposed research, we will gain an
advanced understanding of host-pathogen interactions and identify the dynamic changes occurring in both the
host and bacterial transcriptome during infection.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10905769
- **Project number:** 1R21AI183669-01
- **Recipient organization:** OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** RAJENDAR K DEORA
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $236,250
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-05-22 → 2026-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10905769

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10905769, Interaction of Bordetella pertussis with human nasal epithelium (1R21AI183669-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10905769. Licensed CC0.

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