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Updated: Jun 3, 2026
10:19
A Murine Model of Group B Streptococcus Vaginal Colonization
Published on: November 16, 2016
Group B Streptococcus, phospholipids and pulmonary hypertension
1Office of Graduate Medical Education and Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Summary
Group B Streptococcus phospholipids, cardiolipin and phosphatidylglycerol, cause pulmonary hypertension in newborns. This discovery offers new therapeutic targets for persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal medicine
- Microbiology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Group B Streptococcus is a leading cause of neonatal bacterial infections.
- Pulmonary hypertension is a serious condition in newborns.
- The specific bacterial molecules inducing this condition were previously unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify bacterial molecules from Group B Streptococcus responsible for causing pulmonary hypertension.
- To investigate potential therapeutic targets for neonatal pulmonary hypertension.
Main Methods:
- Bioassays in neonatal lambs guided purification of bioactive compounds.
- Standard biochemical techniques were used for purification.
- Mass spectrometry identified the compounds.
- Synthetic compounds were tested for efficacy.
Main Results:
- Phospholipids, specifically cardiolipin and phosphatidylglycerol, were identified as the causative agents.
- Both purified and synthetic cardiolipin and phosphatidylglycerol induced pulmonary hypertension in lambs.
Conclusions:
- Bacterial phospholipids are confirmed to cause pulmonary hypertension in newborns.
- This finding suggests new therapeutic strategies for persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn.
- It also provides insights into neonatal respiratory distress and antibiotic therapy efficacy.
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