Group B Streptococcus β-hemolysin/cytolysin Modulates Intestinal Tight Junction Protein Gene Expression

7/19/2021

Kristen Domínguez, BA/BS

about presenter

Kristen Domínguez is a PhD student in Dr. Randis' lab co-mentored by Dr. Darch at the University of South Florida studying host-microbe interactions that facilitate GBS pathogenesis.

Group B Strep International

7/19/2021 10:20:08 pm

Thank you for presenting on such an important study to work towards the prevention of late-onset GBS neonatal sepsis!

Kristen Dominguez

7/20/2021 03:43:27 am

Thank you all for your interest in our research! Please let me know if you have any questions or comments for discussion.

Marti Perhach

7/20/2021 08:27:33 am

Would your research also be applicable to early-onset GBS disease prevention? GBS disease is commonly thought of being in conjunction with colonization in the maternal intestinal tract so glad to have you present in regards to translocation from the infant intestinal tract.

Kristen Dominguez

7/20/2021 11:50:21 am

Hi Marti, thank you so much for your question. I would suspect that in the case of early-onset sepsis, we might see similar results. However, since we did not look specifically at an early-onset model, it is hard to say for sure. The intestinal environment is rapidly changing during this early developmental period and could influence changes in epithelial cell responses to GBS toxins. This is why it is important that we repeat this at different time points in our model.

I hope this answers your question- please let me know if you have any more!

Marti Perhach

7/20/2021 01:22:43 pm

Yes, that makes sense. Thanks, Kristen! Do you think GBS rectal swab testing of human infants might provide useful info for risk factors?

Kristen Dominguez

7/26/2021 10:25:10 am

Hi Marti,
I would imagine that rectal swabs would be useful for identifying those who are intestinally colonized. Although not a perfect test, it might be a simple way to detect GBS colonization.

James McGregor MDCM

7/20/2021 01:26:53 pm

Wow! Thank you for your elegant presentation and explication. Could you or a student or a colleague consider replicateing using vagina and/or endometrial, amnion epithelias? Dr Micheal Ross/ UCLA, Harbor general )might have applicable methods.

Kristen Dominguez

7/20/2021 01:48:51 pm

Thank you for your comment and suggestions! It would definitely be interesting to explore how epithelial cell expression is altered in these tissues and could potentially elucidate important mechanisms involved in GBS toxin activity involved in barrier disruption.

Comments are closed.

Group B Streptococcus β-hemolysin/cytolysin Modulates Intestinal Tight Junction Protein Gene Expression

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Group B Streptococcus β-hemolysin/cytolysin Modulates Intestinal Tight Junction Protein Gene Expression

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