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Updated: Jul 15, 2025

Isolation of Leukocytes from the Murine Tissues at the Maternal-Fetal Interface
Published on: May 21, 2015
GBS hyaluronidase mediates immune suppression in a TLR2/4- and IL-10-dependent manner during pregnancy-associated
Michelle Coleman1, Austyn Orvis1, Alyssa Brokaw1,2
1Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute , Seattle, Washington, USA.
Importance:
Bacteria such as GBS can cause infections during pregnancy leading to preterm births, stillbirths, and neonatal infections. The interaction between host and bacterial factors during infections in the placenta is not fully understood. GBS secretes a hyaluronidase enzyme that is thought to digest host hyaluronan into immunosuppressive disaccharides that dampen TLR2/4 signaling, leading to increased bacterial dissemination and adverse outcomes. In this study, we show that GBS HylB mediates immune suppression and promotes bacterial infection during pregnancy that requires TLR2, TLR4, and IL-10. Understanding the interaction between host and bacterial factors can inform future therapeutic strategies to mitigate GBS infections.
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