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Defining the Role of the Plasminogen Activator Protease in the Early Events that Establish Primary Pneumonic Plague

Award Number: R01AI153252
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/01/2021
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 04/30/2026

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Defining the Role of the Plasminogen Activator Protease in the Early Events that Establish Primary Pneumonic Plague - Project Summary Pneumonic plague is the deadliest form of disease caused by Yersinia pestis. Early after infection, Y. pestis subverts host innate immune mechanisms in the lung and replicates to high numbers before the onset of lethal host inflammatory responses. As a result, pneumonic plague is difficult to treat once symptoms are recognized. This proposal introduces the Yersinia Plasminogen activator protease (Pla) as an important mediator of early host/pathogen interactions in the lung. Pla is well-established virulence factor known to be essential to the pathogenesis of pneumonic plague via an unknown function. The work proposed here examines the dual role of Pla, as both an adhesin and a protease, during pulmonary infection. The objective of this work is to define the function of the critical Yersinia virulence factor Pla in the early events of pneumonic plague to understand how Y. pestis resists clearance by host inflammatory responses to establish an initial replicative phase in the lungs. The strategy for this proposal is outlined below: Specific Aim 1. Define the role of Pla-mediated T3S during pneumonic plague. The adhesin function of Pla facilitates targeting of alveolar macrophages for type 3 secretion (T3S) early during pneumonic plague. Aim 1 will generate and test mutants of Pla to understand how Pla mediates adherence, and characterize the importance of Pla-mediated adherence and T3S in vivo. Further, the impact of Pla-mediated T3S on host cell innate immune responses to T3S will be evaluated during infection to understand how Y. pestis limits host responsiveness early during infection. Specific Aim 2. Characterize novel proteolytic functions of Pla during pneumonic plague. Preliminary data has identified two novel functions of Pla that may contribute to pathogenesis. A proteomics approach will be used to identify and characterize Pla proteolytic activity early during primary pneumonic plague. Specific Aim 3. Identify key host cell types and dynamics responsible for establishing an early pre- inflammatory disease phase during pneumonic plague. Preliminary data indicates that deletion of Pla disrupts the ability of Y. pestis to limit early innate immune responses in the lung. In Aim 3 we will evaluate host cell dynamics and innate immune responses in the lung in the presence and absence of Pla to understand how Y. pestis is able to subvert initial inflammatory responses and establish infection in the lung.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $302,500 )
2025	2025	EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY	1000 E 5TH ST	GREENVILLE	NC	27858	PITT	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	004	6	4/29/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$302,500
2025	2024	EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY	1000 E 5TH ST	GREENVILLE	NC	27858	PITT	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	001	5	12/23/2024	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$222,535
2025	2024	EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY	1000 E 5TH ST	GREENVILLE	NC	27858	PITT	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	003	5	3/24/2025	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$45,058
2025	2024	UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES	4301 W MARKHAM ST	LITTLE ROCK	AR	72205	PULASKI	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	002	4	3/24/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$45,058
2025	2024	UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES	4301 W MARKHAM ST	LITTLE ROCK	AR	72205	PULASKI	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	4	12/23/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$222,535
														Subtotal = $302,500

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $374,011 )
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES	4301 W MARKHAM ST	LITTLE ROCK	AR	72205	PULASKI	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	4	4/10/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$374,011
														Subtotal = $374,011

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $374,185 )
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES	4301 W MARKHAM ST	LITTLE ROCK	AR	72205	PULASKI	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	3	4/12/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$374,185
														Subtotal = $374,185

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $515,584 )
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS SYSTEM	4301 W MARKHAM ST SLOT 812 BIO-MED BLDG 1 STE 102	LITTLE ROCK	AR	72205	PULASKI	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	002	2	4/22/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$374,355
2022	2021	UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES	4301 W MARKHAM ST	LITTLE ROCK	AR	72205	PULASKI	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	001	1	2/16/2022	NEW	$0
2022	2020	UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES	4301 W MARKHAM ST	LITTLE ROCK	AR	72205	PULASKI	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	1	2/8/2022	NEW	$141,229
														Subtotal = $515,584

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $249,635 )
2021	2021	UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS SYSTEM	4301 W MARKHAM ST SLOT 812 BIO-MED BLDG 1 STE 102	LITTLE ROCK	AR	72205	PULASKI	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	1	4/9/2021	NEW	$249,635
														Subtotal = $249,635

Grand Total All Awards = $1,815,915

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Defining the Role of the Plasminogen Activator Protease in the Early Events that Establish Primary Pneumonic Plague

Award Number: R01AI153252

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/01/2021

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 04/30/2026

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