How a pneumonia toxin damages the lung lining
Official title: Mechanism of Toxin Mediated Damage to the Lung Epithelium during S. pneumoniae Infection
Funded at San Jose State University · NIH-11330567 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how a toxin made by Streptococcus pneumoniae damages the cells that line the lungs during pneumococcal infection to help people with pneumonia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | San Jose State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Jose, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $146,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R16AI182337-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11330567 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who have or are at risk for Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcal) lung infections would be the most relevant group for future therapies informed by this work.
✕Less likely to help
People with lung problems caused by non-pneumococcal pathogens or non-infectious lung diseases are less likely to benefit directly from this specific toxin-focused work.
What this research studies
Researchers will grow human lung epithelial cells in a lab system that mimics the airway surface and expose them to pneumococcal bacteria that either do or do not produce the pneumolysin toxin. They will use ion-specific fluorescent dyes to watch how the toxin changes ion levels inside cells and test chemical tools that block those ion changes. The team will focus on how those ion shifts disrupt the cell–cell junctions that keep the lung barrier intact, studying both adherens and tight junctions. Results will clarify the steps by which the toxin weakens the lung lining and point to ways to protect it.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or limit lung barrier damage during pneumococcal pneumonia, which may reduce lung injury and complications.
How similar studies have gone: Previous laboratory studies have shown that pneumolysin forms pores and disrupts host cells, but translating those basic findings into patient treatments is still in early stages.
Where this research is happening
-
San Jose State University
San Jose, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Adams, Walter Isaiah — San Jose State University
- Study coordinator: Adams, Walter Isaiah
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.