# Role of the hyaluronidase in GBS Virulence

> **NIH NIH R01** · SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL · 2020 · $904,628

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Morbidity and mortality of preterm and newborn infants remain significant public health concerns.
Streptococcus agalactiae or Group B Streptococcus (GBS) are a leading cause of bacterial infection
associated preterm births, stillbirths and early onset sepsis. We recently showed that increased expression
of the hyaluronidase can be associated with GBS invasive disease and induces fetal demise in pregnant
mice. The objective of this proposal is to understand how the GBS hyaluronidase subverts the function of
multiple host innate immune cells to induce fetal injury and systemic infection. Aim 1 will define mechanisms
by which the GBS hyaluronidase subverts immune cell function and immune cell recruitment. Aim 2 will
establish how expression of the GBS hyaluronidase promotes microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity and
fetal injury in the pregnant nonhuman primate model that closely emulates human pregnancy. These
studies will provide novel insight into mechanisms of immune evasion during GBS infections. These results
are essential and invaluable for development of novel therapeutic approaches to reduce the risk of GBS
infection associated fetal injury, stillbirth, preterm births and neonatal infections.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9930526
- **Project number:** 5R01AI133976-04
- **Recipient organization:** SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Kristina M. Adams Waldorf
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $904,628
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-06-20 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9930526

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9930526, Role of the hyaluronidase in GBS Virulence (5R01AI133976-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9930526. Licensed CC0.

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