# Modeling severe respiratory syncytial virus pathogenesis in bronchopulmonary dysplasia

> **NIH NIH R21** · MAYO CLINIC ROCHESTER · 2020 · $238,500

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Currently, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the enhanced disease development of RSV
infection in children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is elusive, largely due to the lack of animal studies
to model severe RSV infection in this at-risk group of patients. We have recently established a clinically-
relevant neonatal hyperoxia model of prematurity and BPD in the lab. In this application, we wish to use this
model to examine the mechanisms of severe disease development following RSV infection in BPD hosts. Two
specific aims are proposed: Aim1: To test the hypothesis that neonatal hyperoxia predisposes the hosts
to severe RSV-associated diseases. Aim 2: To test the hypothesis that exaggerated Gadd45b
expression promotes acute RSV-associated diseases in BPD hosts.
Relevance statement
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most frequent cause of serious lower respiratory-tract illness in infants.
Severe RSV infection is prominent in preterm infants and particularly dangerous in children with BPD, a
chronic lung disease of infants born extremely premature and characterized by abnormal development of
structure and function. Of note, the incidence of BPD is increasing globally due to the improved survival rate of
extremely premature infants. Following initial hospital discharge of preterm or BPD infants, viral respiratory
infections, most commonly with RSV, result in increased hospitalization, healthcare utilization, and increased
respiratory morbidity. These clinical data suggest that preterm patients, particularly BPD patients, are highly
susceptible to RSV infection and develop severe pulmonary diseases following RSV infection. The knowledge
generated from this study will significantly improve our understanding on RSV pathogenicity in BPD hosts.
Furthermore, we expect that this application will promise to open the door for novel therapeutic strategies
aiming to minimize viral pathogenesis and chronic lung conditions in BPD patients (for instance, targeting on
Gadd45b pathway).

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9981352
- **Project number:** 1R21AI147368-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** MAYO CLINIC ROCHESTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Jie Sun
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $238,500
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9981352

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9981352, Modeling severe respiratory syncytial virus pathogenesis in bronchopulmonary dysplasia (1R21AI147368-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9981352. Licensed CC0.

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