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Xu Y, Wang J, Qin X, Liu J. Advances in the pathogenesis and treatment of pneumococcal meningitis. Virulence 2024; 15:2387180. [PMID: 39192572 PMCID: PMC11364070 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2024.2387180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common pathogen associated with community-acquired bacterial meningitis, characterized by high morbidity and mortality rates. While vaccination reduces the incidence of meningitis, many survivors experience severe brain damage and corresponding sequelae. The pathogenesis of pneumococcal meningitis has not been fully elucidated. Currently, meningitis requires bacterial disruption of the blood - brain barrier, a process that involves the interaction of bacterial surface components with host cells and various inflammatory responses. This review delineates the global prevalence, pathogenesis, and treatment strategies of pneumococcal meningitis. The objective is to enhance the thorough comprehension of the clinical manifestations and biological mechanisms of the disease, thereby enabling more efficient prevention, diagnosis, and therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiyun Xu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Shenyang, China
| | - Ji Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiaosong Qin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Shenyang, China
| | - Jianhua Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Shenyang, China
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2
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Chekrouni N, van Soest TM, da Cruz Campos AC, Brouwer MC, van de Beek D. Bacterial load in cerebrospinal fluid predicts unfavourable outcome in pneumococcal meningitis: a prospective nationwide cohort study. Clin Microbiol Infect 2024; 30:772-778. [PMID: 38479702 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2024.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to determine the role of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) bacterial load in adults with pneumococcal meningitis. METHODS We quantified bacterial load in CSF samples from the diagnostic lumbar puncture of adults with community-acquired pneumococcal meningitis. We also measured CSF concentrations of complement component 5a (C5a), and determined associations between bacterial load, clinical characteristics, C5a and unfavourable outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale score <5). RESULTS Bacterial load was quantified in 152 CSF samples. Median age of these patients was 61 years (interquartile range [IQR] 51-68), and 69 of 152 (45%) were female. Median CSF bacterial load was 1.6 × 104 DNA copies/mL (IQR 3.4 × 103-1.2 × 105), and did not correlate with CSF white cell count nor with CSF protein concentrations. Median CSF C5a concentration was 35.8 mg/L (IQR 15.9-105.6), and was moderately correlated with CSF bacterial loads (Spearman's rho = 0.42; p < 0001). High bacterial loads were associated with development of complications, such as circulatory shock (OR per logarithmic increase: 2.4, 95% CI: 2.0-2.9; p < 0.001) and cerebrovascular complications [OR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.6-2.3; p < 0.001]). High bacterial loads were also associated with unfavourable outcome (OR: 2.8, 95% CI: 2.4-3.3; p < 0.001) and death (OR: 3.1, 95% CI: 2.6-3.8; p < 0.001). In a multivariable regression model including age, immunocompromised state, extrameningeal infection focus, admission Glasgow Coma Scale score and CSF C5a concentration, CSF bacterial load remained an independent predictor of unfavourable outcome (adjusted OR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.6-3.9; p < 0.001). DISCUSSION High CSF bacterial load predicts the development of complications and unfavourable outcome in adults with pneumococcal meningitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Chekrouni
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Meibergdreef, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Thijs M van Soest
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Meibergdreef, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ana C da Cruz Campos
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Meibergdreef, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthijs C Brouwer
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Meibergdreef, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Diederik van de Beek
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Meibergdreef, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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3
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Koning R, van Roon MA, Brouwer MC, van de Beek D. Adjunctive treatments for pneumococcal meningitis: a systematic review of experimental animal models. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae131. [PMID: 38707710 PMCID: PMC11069119 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
New treatments are needed to improve the prognosis of pneumococcal meningitis. We performed a systematic review on adjunctive treatments in animal models of pneumococcal meningitis in order to identify treatments with the most potential to progress to clinical trials. Studies testing therapy adjunctive to antibiotics in animal models of pneumococcal meningitis were included. A literature search was performed using Medline, Embase and Scopus for studies published from 1990 up to 17 February 2023. Two investigators screened studies for inclusion and independently extracted data. Treatment effect was assessed on the clinical parameters disease severity, hearing loss and cognitive impairment and the biological parameters inflammation, brain injury and bacterial load. Adjunctive treatments were evaluated by their effect on these outcomes and the quality, number and size of studies that investigated the treatments. Risk of bias was assessed with the SYRCLE risk of bias tool. A total of 58 of 2462 identified studies were included, which used 2703 experimental animals. Disease modelling was performed in rats (29 studies), rabbits (13 studies), mice (12 studies), gerbils (3 studies) or both rats and mice (1 study). Meningitis was induced by injection of Streptococcus pneumoniae into the subarachnoid space. Randomization of experimental groups was performed in 37 of 58 studies (64%) and 12 studies (12%) were investigator-blinded. Overall, 54 treatment regimens using 46 adjunctive drugs were evaluated: most commonly dexamethasone (16 studies), daptomycin (5 studies), complement component 5 (C5; 3 studies) antibody and Mn(III)tetrakis(4-benzoicacid)porphyrin chloride (MnTBAP; 3 studies). The most frequently evaluated outcome parameters were inflammation [32 studies (55%)] and brain injury [32 studies (55%)], followed by disease severity [30 studies (52%)], hearing loss [24 studies (41%)], bacterial load [18 studies (31%)] and cognitive impairment [9 studies (16%)]. Adjunctive therapy that improved clinical outcomes in multiple studies was dexamethasone (6 studies), C5 antibodies (3 studies) and daptomycin (3 studies). HMGB1 inhibitors, matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors, neurotrophins, antioxidants and paquinimod also improved clinical parameters but only in single or small studies. Evaluating the treatment effect of adjunctive therapy was complicated by study heterogeneity regarding the animal models used and outcomes reported. In conclusion, 24 of 54 treatment regimens (44%) tested improved clinically relevant outcomes in experimental pneumococcal meningitis but few were tested in multiple well-designed studies. The most promising new adjunctive treatments are with C5 antibodies or daptomycin, suggesting that these drugs could be tested in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rutger Koning
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, 1100DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marian A van Roon
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, 1100DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthijs C Brouwer
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, 1100DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Diederik van de Beek
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, 1100DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Luan X, Lei T, Fang J, Liu X, Fu H, Li Y, Chu W, Jiang P, Tong C, Qi H, Fu Y. Blockade of C5a receptor unleashes tumor-associated macrophage antitumor response and enhances CXCL9-dependent CD8 + T cell activity. Mol Ther 2024; 32:469-489. [PMID: 38098230 PMCID: PMC10861991 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Macrophages play a crucial role in shaping the immune state within the tumor microenvironment (TME) and are often influenced by tumors to hinder antitumor immunity. However, the underlying mechanisms are still elusive. Here, we observed abnormal expression of complement 5a receptor (C5aR) in human ovarian cancer (OC), and identified high levels of C5aR expression on tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which led to the polarization of TAMs toward an immunosuppressive phenotype. C5aR knockout or inhibitor treatment restored TAM antitumor response and attenuated tumor progression. Mechanistically, C5aR deficiency reprogrammed macrophages from a protumor state to an antitumor state, associating with the upregulation of immune response and stimulation pathways, which in turn resulted in the enhanced antitumor response of cytotoxic T cells in a manner dependent on chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 9 (CXCL9). The pharmacological inhibition of C5aR also improved the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade therapy. In patients, C5aR expression associated with CXCL9 production and infiltration of CD8+ T cells, and a high C5aR level predicted poor clinical outcomes and worse benefits from anti-PD-1 therapy. Thus, our study sheds light on the mechanisms underlying the modulation of TAM antitumor immune response by the C5a-C5aR axis and highlights the potential of targeting C5aR for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojin Luan
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Ting Lei
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Jie Fang
- Department of Gynecology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xue Liu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Obstetrics, Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 402160, China
| | - Huijia Fu
- Department of Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Yiran Li
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Wei Chu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Peng Jiang
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Chao Tong
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
| | - Hongbo Qi
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; Women and Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 401147, China.
| | - Yong Fu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
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Marra CM. Infectious and Postinfectious Vasculopathies. Neuroimaging Clin N Am 2024; 34:13-21. [PMID: 37951699 DOI: 10.1016/j.nic.2023.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Stroke is a complication of many central nervous system (CNS) infections, but only a few present with stroke without other symptoms or signs of CNS infection. Chief among these are varicella zoster virus (VZV) and syphilis. Delayed cerebral vasculopathy after successful treatment of bacterial meningitis, most commonly pneumococcal, is an emerging entity with uncertain pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M Marra
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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Teske NC, Dyckhoff-Shen S, Beckenbauer P, Bewersdorf JP, Engelen-Lee JY, Hammerschmidt S, Kälin RE, Pfister HW, Brouwer MC, Klein M, Glass R, van de Beek D, Koedel U. Pericytes are protective in experimental pneumococcal meningitis through regulating leukocyte infiltration and blood-brain barrier function. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:267. [PMID: 37978545 PMCID: PMC10655320 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02938-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brain pericytes participate in the regulation of cerebral blood flow and the maintenance of blood-brain barrier integrity. Because of their perivascular localization, their receptor repertoire, and their potential ability to respond to inflammatory and infectious stimuli by producing various cytokines and chemokines, these cells are also thought to play an active role in the immune response to brain infections. This assumption is mainly supported by in vitro studies, investigations in in vivo disease models are largely missing. Here, we analysed the role of brain pericytes in pneumococcal meningitis, in vitro and in vivo in two animal models of pneumococcal meningitis. METHODS Primary murine and human pericytes were stimulated with increasing concentrations of different serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae in the presence or absence of Toll-like receptor inhibitors and their cell viability and cytokine production were monitored. To gain insight into the role of pericytes in brain infection in vivo, we performed studies in a zebrafish embryo model of pneumococcal meningitis in which pericytes were pharmacologically depleted. Furthermore, we analyzed the impact of genetically induced pericyte ablation on disease progression, intracranial complications, and brain inflammation in an adult mouse model of this disease. RESULTS Both murine and human pericytes reacted to pneumococcal exposure with the release of selected cytokines. This cytokine release is pneumolysin-dependent, TLR-dependent in murine (but not human) pericytes and can be significantly increased by macrophage-derived IL-1b. Pharmacological depletion of pericytes in zebrafish embryos resulted in increased cerebral edema and mortality due to pneumococcal meningitis. Correspondingly, in an adult mouse meningitis model, a more pronounced blood-brain barrier disruption and leukocyte infiltration, resulting in an unfavorable disease course, was observed following genetic pericyte ablation. The degree of leukocyte infiltration positively correlated with an upregulation of chemokine expression in the brains of pericyte-depleted mice. CONCLUSIONS Our findings show that pericytes play a protective role in pneumococcal meningitis by impeding leukocyte migration and preventing blood-brain barrier breaching. Thus, preserving the integrity of the pericyte population has the potential as a new therapeutic strategy in pneumococcal meningitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina C Teske
- Department of Neurology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
- ESCMID Study Group for Infections of the Brain, Basel, Switzerland.
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Department of Neurosurgery, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | | | - Paul Beckenbauer
- Department of Neurology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Joo-Yeon Engelen-Lee
- ESCMID Study Group for Infections of the Brain, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sven Hammerschmidt
- Department Genetics of Microorganisms, Interfaculty Institute of Genetics and Functional Genomics, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Roland E Kälin
- Neurosurgical Research, Department of Neurosurgery, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Walter Brendel Center of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Hans-Walter Pfister
- Department of Neurology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- ESCMID Study Group for Infections of the Brain, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Matthijs C Brouwer
- ESCMID Study Group for Infections of the Brain, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthias Klein
- Department of Neurology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- ESCMID Study Group for Infections of the Brain, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rainer Glass
- Neurosurgical Research, Department of Neurosurgery, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Diederik van de Beek
- ESCMID Study Group for Infections of the Brain, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Uwe Koedel
- Department of Neurology, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- ESCMID Study Group for Infections of the Brain, Basel, Switzerland
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Szymańska H, Dzika E, Zabolewicz TJ, Życzko K. The Relationship between Complement Components C1R and C5 Gene Polymorphism and the Values of Blood Indices in Suckling Piglets. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:2015. [PMID: 38002958 PMCID: PMC10671359 DOI: 10.3390/genes14112015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The main mechanism of innate immunity is the complement system. Its components include the protein products of the C1R and C5 genes, which are involved in the classical activation pathway as well as the inflammatory and cytolytic immune responses, respectively. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism in C1R (726T > C) and C5 (1044A > C) genes, and the values of hematological and biochemical blood indices in suckling crossbred (Polish Large White × Polish Landrace × Duroc × Pietrain) piglets (n = 473), considering their age (younger, 21 ± 3 days, n = 274; older, 35 ± 3 days, n = 199) and health status. The frequencies of the C5 genotypes deviated from the Hardy-Weinberg expectations. Younger piglets, healthy piglets, piglets that deviated from physiological norms and older piglets with the C1R TT genotype all had lower white and red blood cell indices. In piglets with the C5 CC genotype, younger piglets, piglets that deviated from physiological norms and older piglets, a greater number and/or percentage of monocytes were recorded in the blood. Older piglets also showed an increase in the number of leukocytes and granulocytes, along with a tendency for a decrease in the percentage of lymphocytes in their blood. We concluded that a polymorphism in the C1R gene may exhibit a functional association or genetic linkage with other genes involved in the process of erythropoiesis. Furthermore the relationship between the C5 gene polymorphism and the number and/or percentage of monocytes in the blood may modify the body's defense abilities. Piglets with the CC genotype, having an increased number/proportion of these cells in their blood, probably display a weakened immune response to pathogens or a chronic stimulation of the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Szymańska
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Public Health, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Żołnierska 14C, 10-561 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Ewa Dzika
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Public Health, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Żołnierska 14C, 10-561 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Tadeusz Jarosław Zabolewicz
- Department of Animal Genetics, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego 5, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Krystyna Życzko
- Department of Animal Genetics, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego 5, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
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Artiaga A, Herman F, Arquizan C, Thouvenot E, Loubet P, Le Moing V, Picot MC, Makinson A. Cerebral vasculitis as a complication of pneumococcal meningitis: A cohort study. Infect Dis Now 2023; 53:104772. [PMID: 37619963 DOI: 10.1016/j.idnow.2023.104772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cerebral vasculitis (CV) is a severe complication of pneumococcal meningitis (PM); whether dexamethasone use can reduce its occurrence remains to be determined. METHODS This is a retrospective observational bicentric study analyzing all adults with proven PM hospitalized between January 2002 and December 2020 in two tertiary hospitals. Extrapolating from a standardized definition of primary angiitis of the central nervous system, we defined CV as worsened neurological symptoms associated with compatible imaging. All images were analyzed by a radiologist, and two neurologists reviewed all inconclusive cases of suspected CV for adjudication. Factors associated with CV were analyzed, including dexamethasone use. A subgroup analysis was limited to patients with a lumbar puncture at PM diagnosis. RESULTS Among 168 patients with PM, 49 (29.2%) had CV, occurring after a median of 8 days (IQR 5-13) of PM diagnosis. In multivariate analysis (N = 151), initial CRP was associated with CV (OR 1.28 per 50-unit increase, p = 0.003), which was marginally linked with delayed hospital admission more than 48 hours after first symptoms (OR 2.39, p = 0.06) and prior NSAID intake (OR 2.94, p = 0.05). Dexamethasone administration did not impact CV occurrence. In 133 patients having undergone lumbar puncture, CSF protein level > 4.4 g/L (OR 4.50, p = 0.006) was associated with CV. CONCLUSIONS In our cohort, CV was a frequent and severe complication of PM, often occurring in association with unduly delayed medical care, high CRP at admission, and high levels of protein in CSF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agathe Artiaga
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department - University Hospital of Montpellier, France
| | - Fanchon Herman
- Medical Information Department - University Hospital of Montpellier, France
| | - Caroline Arquizan
- Stroke Unit, Department of Neurology, University of Montpellier, France; Paris Descartes University, INSERM 1226, Paris, France
| | - Eric Thouvenot
- Neurology Department - University Hospital of Nimes, France; Functional Genomics Institute, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Paul Loubet
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department - University Hospital of Nimes, France; Inserm U1047 University of Montpellier Nimes, France
| | - Vincent Le Moing
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department - University Hospital of Montpellier, France; Inserm U1175 University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Marie-Christine Picot
- Medical Information Department - University Hospital of Montpellier, France; Clinical Research and Epidemiology Unit, INSERM, Clinical Investigation Centre 1411, University of Montpellier, France
| | - Alain Makinson
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department - University Hospital of Montpellier, France; Inserm U1175 University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
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Im H, Kim T, Na S, Song IU, Kim SH, Oh YS, Oh J, Kim W. Low serum complement level is associated with higher mortality in tuberculous meningitis: a retrospective cohort study. ENCEPHALITIS 2023; 3:7-14. [PMID: 37469713 PMCID: PMC10295820 DOI: 10.47936/encephalitis.2022.00059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose We evaluated the associations between serum complement levels and tuberculous meningitis (TBM), bacterial meningitis (BM), and viral meningitis (VM), as well as the association between serum complement levels and mortality in TBM. Methods Background information and blood/cerebrospinal fluid analysis results were collected from 2009 to 2019. Patients who had serum complement level data collected at admission and who were diagnosed with TBM (n = 97), BM (n = 31), or VM (n = 557) were enrolled. Results Initial serum complement levels were significantly lower in the TBM group than the VM group in both the total population and the propensity score-matched population. In the TBM and VM groups, compared to patients with initial highest-quartile C4 level, patients in the lowest quartile (C4 < 24.3 mg/dL) had significantly greater odds of TBM diagnosis (odds ratio, 2.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-4.5; p = 0.038). In the TBM group, patients with the lowest-quartile C3 level (<96.9 mg/dL) experienced a significantly higher 90-day mortality rate compared to other TBM patients (hazard ratio, 19.0; 95% confidence interval, 2.1-167.4.5; p = 0.008). Conclusion Both serum C3 and C4 levels were significantly lower in the TBM group than in the VM group. TBM patients with lower serum C3 level had a significantly higher mortality rate than those with higher C3 level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hansol Im
- Department of Neurology, The Catholic University of Korea, Incheon St. Mary’s Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Taewon Kim
- Department of Neurology, The Catholic University of Korea, Incheon St. Mary’s Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Seunghee Na
- Department of Neurology, The Catholic University of Korea, Incheon St. Mary’s Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - In-Uk Song
- Department of Neurology, The Catholic University of Korea, Incheon St. Mary’s Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Seong-Hoon Kim
- Department of Neurology, The Catholic University of Korea, Uijeongbu St. Mary’s Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yoon-Sang Oh
- Department of Neurology, The Catholic University of Korea, Uijeongbu St. Mary’s Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Juhee Oh
- Department of Neurology, The Catholic University of Korea, St. Vincent’s Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Woojun Kim
- Department of Neurology, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, Seoul, Korea
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Teske NC, Engelen-Lee JY, Dyckhoff-Shen S, Pfister HW, Klein M, van de Beek D, Kirschning CK, Koedel U, Brouwer MC. The role of plasminogen activator inhibitor-2 in pneumococcal meningitis. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:155. [DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01461-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractPneumococcal meningitis is associated with dysregulation of the coagulation cascade. Previously, we detected upregulation of cerebral plasminogen activator inhibitor-2 (PAI-2) mRNA expression during pneumococcal meningitis. Diverse functions have been ascribed to PAI-2, but its role remains unclear. We analyzed the function of SERPINB2 (coding for PAI-2) in patients with bacterial meningitis, in a well-established pneumococcal meningitis mouse model, using Serpinb2 knockout mice, and in vitro in wt and PAI-2-deficient bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs). We measured PAI-2 in cerebrospinal fluid of patients, and performed functional, histopathological, protein and mRNA expression analyses in vivo and in vitro. We found a substantial increase of PAI-2 concentration in CSF of patients with pneumococcal meningitis, and up-regulation and increased release of PAI-2 in mice. PAI-2 deficiency was associated with increased mortality in murine pneumococcal meningitis and cerebral hemorrhages. Serpinb2−/− mice exhibited increased C5a levels, but decreased IL-10 levels in the brain during pneumococcal infection. Our in vitro experiments confirmed increased expression and release of PAI-2 by wt BMDM and decreased IL-10 liberation by PAI-2-deficient BMDM upon pneumococcal challenge. Our data show that PAI-2 is elevated during in pneumococcal meningitis in humans and mice. PAI-2 deficiency causes an inflammatory imbalance, resulting in increased brain pathology and mortality.
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11
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Gil E, Noursadeghi M, Brown JS. Streptococcus pneumoniae interactions with the complement system. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:929483. [PMID: 35967850 PMCID: PMC9366601 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.929483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Host innate and adaptive immunity to infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae is critically dependent on the complement system, demonstrated by the high incidence of invasive S. pneumoniae infection in people with inherited deficiency of complement components. The complement system is activated by S. pneumoniae through multiple mechanisms. The classical complement pathway is activated by recognition of S. pneumoniae by C-reactive protein, serum amyloid P, C1q, SIGN-R1, or natural or acquired antibody. Some S. pneumoniae strains are also recognised by ficolins to activate the mannose binding lectin (MBL) activation pathway. Complement activation is then amplified by the alternative complement pathway, which can also be activated by S. pneumoniae directly. Complement activation results in covalent linkage of the opsonic complement factors C3b and iC3b to the S. pneumoniae surface which promote phagocytic clearance, along with complement-mediated immune adherence to erythrocytes, thereby protecting against septicaemia. The role of complement for mucosal immunity to S. pneumoniae is less clear. Given the major role of complement in controlling infection with S. pneumoniae, it is perhaps unsurprising that S. pneumoniae has evolved multiple mechanisms of complement evasion, including the capsule, multiple surface proteins, and the toxin pneumolysin. There is considerable variation between S. pneumoniae capsular serotypes and genotypes with regards to sensitivity to complement which correlates with ability to cause invasive infections. However, at present we only have a limited understanding of the main mechanisms causing variations in complement sensitivity between S. pneumoniae strains and to non-pathogenic streptococci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza Gil
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Eliza Gil,
| | - Mahdad Noursadeghi
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jeremy S. Brown
- Division of Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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12
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Chen K, Lin Y, Liu Y, Liao S, Yang R, Huang J, Xu M, He J. Investigation of Association of Complement 5 Genetic Polymorphisms with Sepsis and Sepsis-Induced Inflammatory Responses. J Inflamm Res 2021; 14:6461-6475. [PMID: 34880647 PMCID: PMC8648101 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s340446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Complement 5 (C5) and C5a production play a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of sepsis. Strong evidence demonstrates an association of C5 gene polymorphisms with various inflammatory diseases. However, no current studies have explored the clinical relevance of C5 polymorphisms in sepsis. Methods Two C5 gene polymorphisms, rs17611 and rs2269067, were identified by genotyping in 636 sepsis patients and 753 controls in a Han Chinese population. C5 gene expression was detected via quantitative real-time PCR. C5a and proinflammatory cytokine production was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. An Annexin V apoptosis assay was performed to assess cell apoptosis. Results Our results showed significantly lower frequencies of rs2269067 GC/CC genotypes or C allele in sepsis patients than healthy controls. The frequencies of rs17611 CC/CT genotypes or C allele were significantly overrepresented in both the septic shock and non-survivor subgroups. Patients with this sepsis-associated high-risk rs17611 C allele exhibited a significant increase in C5a, TNF-α and IL-6 production. However, no significant difference in C5a and downstream proinflammatory cytokine production was observed among patients with different rs2269067 genotypes. In addition, in vitro experiments showed an effect of recombinant C5a on enhancing LPS-stimulated IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α production and cell apoptosis in THP-1 monocytes. Conclusion The rs2269067 polymorphism conferred protection against sepsis susceptibility. The rs17611 polymorphism was associated with increased C5a production, which ultimately potentiated the secretion of downstream proinflammatory cytokines and conferred susceptibility to sepsis progression and poor prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaidian Chen
- The Intensive Care Unit, Jieyang Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Jieyang, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yao Lin
- The Intensive Care Unit, Jieyang Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Jieyang, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuchun Liu
- The Intensive Care Unit, Jieyang Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Jieyang, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuanglin Liao
- The Intensive Care Unit, The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruoxuan Yang
- The Intensive Care Unit, Jieyang Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Jieyang, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiefeng Huang
- The Intensive Care Unit, Jieyang Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Jieyang, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingwei Xu
- The Intensive Care Unit, Jieyang Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Jieyang, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Junbing He
- The Intensive Care Unit, Jieyang Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Jieyang, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
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13
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van de Beek D, Brouwer MC, Koedel U, Wall EC. Community-acquired bacterial meningitis. Lancet 2021; 398:1171-1183. [PMID: 34303412 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(21)00883-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Progress has been made in the prevention and treatment of community-acquired bacterial meningitis during the past three decades but the burden of the disease remains high globally. Conjugate vaccines against the three most common causative pathogens (Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae) have reduced the incidence of disease, but with the replacement by non-vaccine pneumococcal serotypes and the emergence of bacterial strains with reduced susceptibility to antimicrobial treatment, meningitis continues to pose a major health challenge worldwide. In patients presenting with bacterial meningitis, typical clinical characteristics (such as the classic triad of neck stiffness, fever, and an altered mental status) might be absent and cerebrospinal fluid examination for biochemistry, microscopy, culture, and PCR to identify bacterial DNA are essential for the diagnosis. Multiplex PCR point-of-care panels in cerebrospinal fluid show promise in accelerating the diagnosis, but diagnostic accuracy studies to justify routine implementation are scarce and randomised, controlled studies are absent. Early administration of antimicrobial treatment (within 1 hour of presentation) improves outcomes and needs to be adjusted according to local emergence of drug resistance. Adjunctive dexamethasone treatment has proven efficacy beyond the neonatal age but only in patients from high-income countries. Further progress can be expected from implementing preventive measures, especially the development of new vaccines, implementation of hospital protocols aimed at early treatment, and new treatments targeting checkpoints of the inflammatory cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diederik van de Beek
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Meibergdreef, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
| | - Matthijs C Brouwer
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Meibergdreef, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Uwe Koedel
- Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Emma C Wall
- Research Department of Infection, University College London, London, UK; Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
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14
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Shinjyo N, Kagaya W, Pekna M. Interaction Between the Complement System and Infectious Agents - A Potential Mechanistic Link to Neurodegeneration and Dementia. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:710390. [PMID: 34408631 PMCID: PMC8365172 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.710390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
As part of the innate immune system, complement plays a critical role in the elimination of pathogens and mobilization of cellular immune responses. In the central nervous system (CNS), many complement proteins are locally produced and regulate nervous system development and physiological processes such as neural plasticity. However, aberrant complement activation has been implicated in neurodegeneration, including Alzheimer's disease. There is a growing list of pathogens that have been shown to interact with the complement system in the brain but the short- and long-term consequences of infection-induced complement activation for neuronal functioning are largely elusive. Available evidence suggests that the infection-induced complement activation could be protective or harmful, depending on the context. Here we summarize how various infectious agents, including bacteria (e.g., Streptococcus spp.), viruses (e.g., HIV and measles virus), fungi (e.g., Candida spp.), parasites (e.g., Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium spp.), and prion proteins activate and manipulate the complement system in the CNS. We also discuss the potential mechanisms by which the interaction between the infectious agents and the complement system can play a role in neurodegeneration and dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriko Shinjyo
- Laboratory of Immune Homeostasis, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Wataru Kagaya
- Department of Parasitology and Research Center for Infectious Disease Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Marcela Pekna
- Laboratory of Regenerative Neuroimmunology, Center for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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15
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Toy CR, Song H, Nagaraja HN, Scott J, Greco J, Zhang X, Yu CY, Tumlin JA, Rovin BH, Hebert LA, Birmingham DJ. The Influence of an Elastase-Sensitive Complement C5 Variant on Lupus Nephritis and Its Flare. Kidney Int Rep 2021; 6:2105-2113. [PMID: 34386659 PMCID: PMC8344111 DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2021.05.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction A C5 polymorphism (rs17611, 2404G>A) exists where the G allele associates with enhanced C5a-like production by neutrophil elastase. This cohort study investigated the influence of this polymorphism as a risk factor for lupus nephritis (LN), and on C5a and membrane attack complex (MAC) levels in LN during flare. Methods A cohort of lupus patients (n = 155) was genotyped for the 2404G>A polymorphism. A longitudinal LN subset (n = 66) was tested for plasma and urine levels of C5a and MAC 4 and/or 2 months before and at nonrenal or LN flare. Results The 2404G allele and 2404-GG genotype were associated with LN in black, but not white, lupus patients. In the longitudinal cohort, neither urine nor plasma C5a levels changed at nonrenal flare regardless of 2404G>A genotype or race. Urine (but not plasma) C5a levels increased at LN flare independent of race, more so in 2404-GG patients where 8 of 30 LN flares exhibited very high C5a levels. Higher proteinuria and serum creatinine levels also occurred in these eight flares. Urine (but not plasma) MAC levels also increased at LN flare in 2404-GG patients and correlated with urine C5a levels. Conclusions The C5 2404-G allele/GG genotype is a potential risk factor for LN uniquely in black lupus patients. The GG genotype is associated with sharp increases in urine C5a and MAC levels in a subset of LN flares that correspond to higher LN disease indices. The lack of corresponding changes in plasma suggests these increases reflect intrarenal complement activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris R Toy
- Department of Internal Medicine, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Huijuan Song
- Department of Internal Medicine, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Haikady N Nagaraja
- Division of Biostatistics, Ohio State University College of Public Health, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Julia Scott
- Department of Internal Medicine, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Jessica Greco
- Department of Internal Medicine, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Xiaolan Zhang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Chack-Yung Yu
- The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, and Department of Pediatrics, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - James A Tumlin
- NephroNet Clinical Research Consortium, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Brad H Rovin
- Department of Internal Medicine, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Lee A Hebert
- Department of Internal Medicine, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Daniel J Birmingham
- Department of Internal Medicine, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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16
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Cools F, Delputte P, Cos P. The search for novel treatment strategies for Streptococcus pneumoniae infections. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 45:6064299. [PMID: 33399826 PMCID: PMC8371276 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuaa072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This review provides an overview of the most important novel treatment strategies against Streptococcus pneumoniae infections published over the past 10 years. The pneumococcus causes the majority of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia cases, and it is one of the prime pathogens in bacterial meningitis. Over the last 10 years, extensive research has been conducted to prevent severe pneumococcal infections, with a major focus on (i) boosting the host immune system and (ii) discovering novel antibacterials. Boosting the immune system can be done in two ways, either by actively modulating host immunity, mostly through administration of selective antibodies, or by interfering with pneumococcal virulence factors, thereby supporting the host immune system to effectively overcome an infection. While several of such experimental therapies are promising, few have evolved to clinical trials. The discovery of novel antibacterials is hampered by the high research and development costs versus the relatively low revenues for the pharmaceutical industry. Nevertheless, novel enzymatic assays and target-based drug design, allow the identification of targets and the development of novel molecules to effectively treat this life-threatening pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Cools
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - P Delputte
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - P Cos
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
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17
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Barnum SR, Bubeck D, Schein TN. Soluble Membrane Attack Complex: Biochemistry and Immunobiology. Front Immunol 2020; 11:585108. [PMID: 33240274 PMCID: PMC7683570 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.585108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The soluble membrane attack complex (sMAC, a.k.a., sC5b-9 or TCC) is generated on activation of complement and contains the complement proteins C5b, C6, C7, C8, C9 together with the regulatory proteins clusterin and/or vitronectin. sMAC is a member of the MACPF/cholesterol-dependent-cytolysin superfamily of pore-forming molecules that insert into lipid bilayers and disrupt cellular integrity and function. sMAC is a unique complement activation macromolecule as it is comprised of several different subunits. To date no complement-mediated function has been identified for sMAC. sMAC is present in blood and other body fluids under homeostatic conditions and there is abundant evidence documenting changes in sMAC levels during infection, autoimmune disease and trauma. Despite decades of scientific interest in sMAC, the mechanisms regulating its formation in healthy individuals and its biological functions in both health and disease remain poorly understood. Here, we review the structural differences between sMAC and its membrane counterpart, MAC, and examine sMAC immunobiology with respect to its presence in body fluids in health and disease. Finally, we discuss the diagnostic potential of sMAC for diagnostic and prognostic applications and potential utility as a companion diagnostic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Doryen Bubeck
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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18
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Zelek WM, Menzies GE, Brancale A, Stockinger B, Morgan BP. Characterizing the original anti-C5 function-blocking antibody, BB5.1, for species specificity, mode of action and interactions with C5. Immunology 2020; 161:103-113. [PMID: 32557571 PMCID: PMC7496778 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The implication of complement in multiple diseases over the last 20 years has fuelled interest in developing anti-complement drugs. To date, the focus has been on C5; blocking cleavage of C5 prevents formation of two pro-inflammatory activities, C5a anaphylatoxin and membrane attack complex. The concept of C5 blockade to inhibit inflammation dates back 30 years to the description of BB5.1, an anti-C5 blocking monoclonal antibody raised in C5-deficient mice. This antibody proved an invaluable tool to demonstrate complement involvement in mouse disease models and catalysed enthusiasm for anti-complement drug development, culminating in the anti-human C5 monoclonal antibody eculizumab, the most successful anti-complement drug to date, already in clinical use for several rare diseases. Despite its key role in providing proof-of-concept for C5 blockade, the mechanism of BB5.1 inhibition remains poorly understood. Here, we characterized BB5.1 cross-species inhibition, C5 binding affinity and chain specificity. BB5.1 efficiently inhibited C5 in mouse serum but not in human or other rodent sera; it prevented C5 cleavage and C5a generation. BB5.1 bound the C5 α-chain with high affinity and slow off-rate. BB5.1 complementarity-determining regions were obtained and docking algorithms were used to predict the likely binding interface on mouse C5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wioleta M. Zelek
- Systems Immunity University Research InstituteSchool of MedicineCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
| | | | - Andrea Brancale
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical SciencesCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
| | | | - Bryan Paul Morgan
- Systems Immunity University Research InstituteSchool of MedicineCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
- Dementia Research InstituteCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
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19
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Vinay P, Karen C, Balamurugan K, Rajan KE. Cronobacter sakazakii Infection in Early Postnatal Rats Impaired Contextual-Associated Learning: a Putative Role of C5a-Mediated NF-κβ and ASK1 Pathways. J Mol Neurosci 2020; 71:28-41. [PMID: 32567007 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-020-01622-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
This study was designed to test whether the Cronobacter sakazakii infection-impaired contextual learning and memory are mediated by the activation of the complement system; subsequent activation of inflammatory signals leads to alternations in serotonin transporter (SERT). To test this, rat pups (postnatal day, PND 15) were treated with either C. sakazakii (107 CFU) or Escherichia coli OP50 (107 CFU) or Luria bertani broth (100 μL) through oral gavage and allowed to stay with their mothers until PND 24. Experimental groups' rats were allowed to explore (PNDs 31-35) and then trained in contextual learning task (PNDs 36-43). Five days after training, individuals were tested for memory retention (PNDs 49-56). Observed behavioural data showed that C. sakazakii infection impaired contextual-associative learning and memory. Furthermore, our analysis showed that C. sakazakii infection activates complement system complement anaphylatoxin (C5a) (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS1)) and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase1 (MEKK1). Subsequently, MEKK1 induces pro-inflammatory signals possibly through apoptosis signal-regulating kinase-1 (ASK-1), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK1/3) and protein kinase B gamma (AKT-3). In parallel, activated nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer B cells (NF-κB) induces interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IFNα-1, which may alter the level of serotonin transporter (SERT). Observed results suggest that impaired contextual learning and memory could be correlated with C5a-mediated NF-κβ and ASK1 pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ponnusamy Vinay
- Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, 620024, India
| | - Christopher Karen
- Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, 620024, India
| | | | - Koilmani Emmanuvel Rajan
- Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, 620024, India.
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Giudice V, Pagliano P, Vatrella A, Masullo A, Poto S, Polverino BM, Gammaldi R, Maglio A, Sellitto C, Vitale C, Serio B, Cuffa B, Borrelli A, Vecchione C, Filippelli A, Selleri C. Combination of Ruxolitinib and Eculizumab for Treatment of Severe SARS-CoV-2-Related Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Controlled Study. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:857. [PMID: 32581810 PMCID: PMC7291857 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
To date, there are no specific therapeutic strategies for treatment of COVID-19. Based on the hypothesis that complement and coagulation cascades are activated by viral infection, and might trigger an acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), we report clinical outcomes of 17 consecutive cases of SARS-CoV-2-related ARDS treated (N = 7) with the novel combination of ruxolitinib, a JAK1/2 inhibitor, 10 mg/twice daily for 14 days and eculizumab, an anti-C5a complement monoclonal antibody, 900 mg IV/weekly for a maximum of three weeks, or with the best available therapy (N = 10). Patients treated with the combination showed significant improvements in respiratory symptoms and radiographic pulmonary lesions and decrease in circulating D-dimer levels compared to the best available therapy group. Our results support the use of combined ruxolitinib and eculizumab for treatment of severe SARS-CoV-2-related ARDS by simultaneously turning off abnormal innate and adaptive immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Giudice
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana" University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy.,Clinical Pharmacology Unit, University Hospital "San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona", Salerno, Italy
| | - Pasquale Pagliano
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana" University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy.,Infectious Disease Unit, University Hospital "San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona", Salerno, Italy
| | - Alessandro Vatrella
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana" University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy.,Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital "San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona", Salerno, Italy
| | - Alfonso Masullo
- Infectious Disease Unit, University Hospital "San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona", Salerno, Italy
| | - Sergio Poto
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana" University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy.,Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital "San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona", Salerno, Italy
| | - Benedetto Maria Polverino
- Respiratory Disease Unit, University Hospital "San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona", Salerno, Italy
| | - Renato Gammaldi
- Respiratory Endoscopy Unit, Hospital "Giovanni Da Procida", University Hospital "San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona", Salerno, Italy
| | - Angelantonio Maglio
- Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital "San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona", Salerno, Italy
| | - Carmine Sellitto
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana" University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy.,Clinical Pharmacology Unit, University Hospital "San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona", Salerno, Italy
| | - Carolina Vitale
- Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital "San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona", Salerno, Italy
| | - Bianca Serio
- Hematology and Transplant Unit, University Hospital "San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona", Salerno, Italy
| | - Bianca Cuffa
- Hematology and Transplant Unit, University Hospital "San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona", Salerno, Italy
| | - Anna Borrelli
- Executive Board, University Hospital "San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona", Salerno, Italy
| | - Carmine Vecchione
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana" University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Amelia Filippelli
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana" University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy.,Clinical Pharmacology Unit, University Hospital "San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona", Salerno, Italy
| | - Carmine Selleri
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana" University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy.,Hematology and Transplant Unit, University Hospital "San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona", Salerno, Italy
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Koelman DLH, Brouwer MC, van de Beek D. Targeting the complement system in bacterial meningitis. Brain 2020; 142:3325-3337. [PMID: 31373605 PMCID: PMC6821383 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awz222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial meningitis is most commonly caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis and continues to pose a major public health threat. Morbidity and mortality of meningitis are driven by an uncontrolled host inflammatory response. This comprehensive update evaluates the role of the complement system in upregulating and maintaining the inflammatory response in bacterial meningitis. Genetic variation studies, complement level measurements in blood and CSF, and experimental work have together led to the identification of anaphylatoxin C5a as a promising treatment target in bacterial meningitis. In animals and patients with pneumococcal meningitis, the accumulation of neutrophils in the CSF was mainly driven by C5-derived chemotactic activity and correlated positively with disease severity and outcome. In murine pneumococcal meningitis, adjunctive treatment with C5 antibodies prevented brain damage and death. Several recently developed therapeutics target C5 conversion, C5a, or its receptor C5aR. Caution is warranted because treatment with C5 antibodies such as eculizumab also inhibits the formation of the membrane attack complex, which may result in decreased meningococcal killing and increased meningococcal disease susceptibility. The use of C5a or C5aR antagonists to specifically target the harmful anaphylatoxins-induced effects, therefore, are most promising and present opportunities for a phase 2 clinical trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diederik L H Koelman
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 9, AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthijs C Brouwer
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 9, AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Diederik van de Beek
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 9, AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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22
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Kasanmoentalib ES, Valls Serón M, Engelen-Lee JY, Tanck MW, Pouw RB, van Mierlo G, Wouters D, Pickering MC, van der Ende A, Kuijpers TW, Brouwer MC, van de Beek D. Complement factor H contributes to mortality in humans and mice with bacterial meningitis. J Neuroinflammation 2019; 16:279. [PMID: 31883521 PMCID: PMC6935240 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-019-1675-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The complement system is a vital component of the inflammatory response occurring during bacterial meningitis. Blocking the complement system was shown to improve the outcome of experimental pneumococcal meningitis. Complement factor H (FH) is a complement regulatory protein inhibiting alternative pathway activation but is also exploited by the pneumococcus to prevent complement activation on its surface conferring serum resistance. Methods In a nationwide prospective cohort study of 1009 episodes with community-acquired bacterial meningitis, we analyzed whether genetic variations in CFH influenced FH cerebrospinal fluid levels and/or disease severity. Subsequently, we analyzed the role of FH in our pneumococcal meningitis mouse model using FH knock-out (Cfh−/−) mice and wild-type (wt) mice. Finally, we tested whether adjuvant treatment with human FH (hFH) improved outcome in a randomized investigator blinded trial in a pneumococcal meningitis mouse model. Results We found the major allele (G) of single nucleotide polymorphism in CFH (rs6677604) to be associated with low FH cerebrospinal fluid concentration and increased mortality. In patients and mice with bacterial meningitis, FH concentrations were elevated during disease and Cfh−/− mice with pneumococcal meningitis had increased mortality compared to wild-type mice due to C3 depletion. Adjuvant treatment of wild-type mice with purified human FH led to complement inhibition but also increased bacterial outgrowth which resulted in similar disease outcomes. Conclusion Low FH levels contribute to mortality in pneumococcal meningitis but adjuvant treatment with FH at a clinically relevant time point is not beneficial.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Soemirien Kasanmoentalib
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Mercedes Valls Serón
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joo Yeon Engelen-Lee
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Michael W Tanck
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Richard B Pouw
- Department of Immunopathology, Sanquin Research and Landsteiner Laboratory of the Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Pediatric Hematology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Gerard van Mierlo
- Department of Immunopathology, Sanquin Research and Landsteiner Laboratory of the Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Diana Wouters
- Department of Immunopathology, Sanquin Research and Landsteiner Laboratory of the Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Matthew C Pickering
- Centre for Inflammatory Disease, Division of Immunology and Inflammation, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Arie van der Ende
- Department of Medical Microbiology and The Netherlands Reference Laboratory for Bacterial Meningitis, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Taco W Kuijpers
- Department of Immunopathology, Sanquin Research and Landsteiner Laboratory of the Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Pediatric Hematology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Blood Cell Research, Sanquin Research and Landsteiner Laboratory of the Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Matthijs C Brouwer
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Diederik van de Beek
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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23
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van Dijk BJ, Meijers JCM, Kloek AT, Knaup VL, Rinkel GJE, Morgan BP, van der Kamp MJ, Osuka K, Aronica E, Ruigrok YM, van de Beek D, Brouwer M, Pekna M, Hol EM, Vergouwen MDI. Complement C5 Contributes to Brain Injury After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage. Transl Stroke Res 2019; 11:678-688. [PMID: 31811640 PMCID: PMC7340633 DOI: 10.1007/s12975-019-00757-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies showed that complement activation is associated with poor functional outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). We investigated whether complement activation is underlying brain injury after aneurysmal SAH (n = 7) and if it is an appropriate treatment target. We investigated complement expression in brain tissue of aneurysmal SAH patients (n = 930) and studied the role of common genetic variants in C3 and C5 genes in outcome. We analyzed plasma levels (n = 229) to identify the functionality of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) associated with outcome. The time course of C5a levels was measured in plasma (n = 31) and CSF (n = 10). In an SAH mouse model, we studied the extent of microglia activation and cell death in wild-type mice, mice lacking the C5a receptor, and in mice treated with C5-specific antibodies (n = 15 per group). Brain sections from aneurysmal SAH patients showed increased presence of complement components C1q and C3/C3b/iC3B compared to controls. The complement component 5 (C5) SNP correlated with C5a plasma levels and poor disease outcome. Serial measurements in CSF revealed that C5a was > 1400-fold increased 1 day after aneurysmal SAH and then gradually decreased. C5a in plasma was 2-fold increased at days 3–10 after aneurysmal SAH. In the SAH mouse model, we observed a ≈ 40% reduction in both microglia activation and cell death in mice lacking the C5a receptor, and in mice treated with C5-specific antibodies. These data show that C5 contributes to brain injury after experimental SAH, and support further study of C5-specific antibodies as novel treatment option to reduce brain injury and improve prognosis after aneurysmal SAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart J van Dijk
- UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Department of Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 100, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 100, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Joost C M Meijers
- Department of Experimental Vascular Medicine, Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Plasma Proteins, Sanquin Research, Plesmanlaan 125, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anne T Kloek
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Veronique L Knaup
- Department of Experimental Vascular Medicine, Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gabriel J E Rinkel
- UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 100, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - B Paul Morgan
- Systems Immunity Research Institute, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff, UK
| | - Marije J van der Kamp
- UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Department of Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 100, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Koji Osuka
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Aichi Medical University, 1-1 Karimatayazako, Aichi, Japan
| | - Eleonora Aronica
- Department of Neuropathology, Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ynte M Ruigrok
- UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 100, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Diederik van de Beek
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthijs Brouwer
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marcela Pekna
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 9A, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Elly M Hol
- UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Department of Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 100, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Meibergdreef 47, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mervyn D I Vergouwen
- UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 100, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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24
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Kloek AT, Brouwer MC, van de Beek D. Host genetic variability and pneumococcal disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Med Genomics 2019; 12:130. [PMID: 31519222 PMCID: PMC6743160 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-019-0572-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Pneumonia, sepsis, meningitis, and empyema due to Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. We provide a systemic overview of genetic variants associated with susceptibility, phenotype and outcome of community acquired pneumococcal pneumonia (CAP) and invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Methods We searched PubMed for studies on the influence of host genetics on susceptibility, phenotype, and outcome of CAP and IPD between Jan 1, 1983 and Jul 4, 2018. We listed methodological characteristics and when genetic data was available we calculated effect sizes. We used fixed or random effect models to calculate pooled effect sizes in the meta-analysis. Results We identified 1219 studies of which 60 studies involving 15,358 patients were included. Twenty-five studies (42%) focused on susceptibility, 8 (13%) on outcome, 1 (2%) on disease phenotype, and 26 (43%) on multiple categories. We identified five studies with a hypothesis free approach of which one resulted in one genome wide significant association in a gene coding for lincRNA with pneumococcal disease susceptibility. We performed 17 meta-analyses of which two susceptibility polymorphisms had a significant overall effect size: variant alleles of MBL2 (odds ratio [OR] 1·67, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1·04–2·69) and a variant in CD14 (OR 1·77, 95% CI 1·18–2·66) and none of the outcome polymorphisms. Conclusions Studies have identified several host genetics factors influencing risk of pneumococcal disease, but many result in non-reproducible findings due to methodological limitations. Uniform case definitions and pooling of data is necessary to obtain more robust findings. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12920-019-0572-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne T Kloek
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthijs C Brouwer
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Diederik van de Beek
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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25
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In vivo proteomics identifies the competence regulon and AliB oligopeptide transporter as pathogenic factors in pneumococcal meningitis. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1007987. [PMID: 31356624 PMCID: PMC6687184 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2019] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococci) is a leading cause of severe bacterial meningitis in many countries worldwide. To characterize the repertoire of fitness and virulence factors predominantly expressed during meningitis we performed niche-specific analysis of the in vivo proteome in a mouse meningitis model, in which bacteria are directly inoculated into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cisterna magna. We generated a comprehensive mass spectrometry (MS) spectra library enabling bacterial proteome analysis even in the presence of eukaryotic proteins. We recovered 200,000 pneumococci from CSF obtained from meningitis mice and by MS we identified 685 pneumococci proteins in samples from in vitro filter controls and 249 in CSF isolates. Strikingly, the regulatory two-component system ComDE and substrate-binding protein AliB of the oligopeptide transporter system were exclusively detected in pneumococci recovered from the CSF. In the mouse meningitis model, AliB-, ComDE-, or AliB-ComDE-deficiency resulted in attenuated meningeal inflammation and disease severity when compared to wild-type pneumococci indicating the crucial role of ComDE and AliB in pneumococcal meningitis. In conclusion, we show here mechanisms of pneumococcal adaptation to a defined host compartment by a proteome-based approach. Further, this study provides the basis of a promising strategy for the identification of protein antigens critical for invasive disease caused by pneumococci and other meningeal pathogens. Pneumococci are one of the most common and aggressive meningitis pathogens associated with mortality rates between 10% and 30%. Due to severe complications during therapeutic intervention, prevention strategies to combat pneumococcal meningitis (PM) are preferred. The vaccines available are so far suboptimal and inefficient to prevent serious PM. Hence, deciphering the mechanisms employed by pneumococci to encounter and survive in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) will pave the way for the development of new antimicrobial strategies. This work used an in vivo proteome-based approach to identify pneumococcal proteins expressed in the CSF during acute meningitis. This strategy identified a nutrient uptake system and regulatory system to be highly expressed in the CSF and being crucial for PM. Knocking out two of the highly in vivo expressed proteins (AliA and ComDE) in S. pneumoniae yields to a significant increase in survival and decrease in pathogen burden of infected mice. These host compartment specific expressed pneumococcal antigens represent promising candidates for antimicrobials or protein-based vaccines.
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26
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Pneumococcal meningitis is the most frequent form of bacterial meningitis in Europe and the United States. Although early antimicrobial and adjuvant therapy with dexamethasone have helped to improve disease outcome in adults, mortality and morbidity rates remain unsatisfactorily high, emphasizing the need for additional treatment options. Promising targets for adjuvant therapy have been identified recently and will be the focus of this review. RECENT FINDINGS Brain disease in pneumococcal meningitis is caused by direct bacterial toxicity and excessive meningeal inflammation. Accordingly, promising targets for adjuvant therapy comprise limiting the release of toxic bacterial products and suppressing inflammation in a way that maximally protects against tissue injury without hampering pathogen eradication by antibiotics. Among the agents tested so far in experimental models, complement inhibitors, matrix-metalloproteinase inhibitors, and nonbacteriolytic antibiotics or a combination of the above have the potential to more efficiently protect the brain either alone (e.g., in children and outside the high-income settings) or in addition to adjuvant dexamethasone. Additionally, new protein-based pneumococcal vaccines are being developed that promise to improve disease prevention, namely by addressing the increasing problem of serotype replacement seen with pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. SUMMARY Pneumococcal meningitis remains a life-threatening disease requiring early antibiotic and targeted anti-inflammatory therapy. New adjuvant therapies showed promising results in animal models but need systematic clinical testing.
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27
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van den Broek B, van der Flier M, de Groot R, de Jonge MI, Langereis JD. Common Genetic Variants in the Complement System and their Potential Link with Disease Susceptibility and Outcome of Invasive Bacterial Infection. J Innate Immun 2019; 12:131-141. [PMID: 31269507 DOI: 10.1159/000500545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis are pathogens that frequently colonize the nasopharynx in an asymptomatic manner but are also a cause of invasive bacterial infections mainly in young children. The complement system plays a crucial role in humoral immunity, complementing the ability of antibodies to clear microbes, thereby protecting the host against bacterial infections, including S. pneumoniae and N. meningitidis. While it is widely accepted that complement deficiencies due to rare genetic variants increase the risk for invasive bacterial infection, not much is known about the common genetic variants in the complement system in relation to disease susceptibility. In this review, we provide an overview of the effects of common genetic variants on complement activation and on complement-mediated inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan van den Broek
- Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Amalia Children's Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Section Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Michiel van der Flier
- Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Amalia Children's Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Expertise Center for Immunodeficiency and Auto inflammation (REIA), Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Section Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald de Groot
- Section Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Marien I de Jonge
- Section Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen D Langereis
- Section Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, .,Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands,
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28
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Combining Ceftriaxone with Doxycycline and Daptomycin Reduces Mortality, Neuroinflammation, Brain Damage, and Hearing Loss in Infant Rat Pneumococcal Meningitis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2019; 63:AAC.00220-19. [PMID: 31061158 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00220-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite appropriate antibiotic therapy, pneumococcal meningitis (PM) is associated with a case fatality rate of up to 30% in high-income countries. Survivors often suffer from severe lifelong disabilities. An excessive inflammatory reaction drives the pathophysiology, leading to brain damage and neurologic sequelae. We aimed to improve the outcome of experimental PM by simultaneously targeting different pathophysiological mechanisms with combined adjunctive therapies previously shown to be neuroprotective. In vitro, the anti-inflammatory effects of doxycycline and daptomycin were evaluated on primary rat astroglial cells stimulated with Streptococcus pneumoniae Eleven-day-old infant Wistar rats were infected intracisternally with S. pneumoniae and randomized for treatment with ceftriaxone or combination adjuvant therapy consisting of ceftriaxone, daptomycin, and doxycycline. During acute PM, combined-adjuvant therapy with ceftriaxone, daptomycin, and doxycycline increased the survival rate from 64.1% to 85.8% (P < 0.01) and alleviated weight loss compared to ceftriaxone monotherapy (P < 0.01). Levels of inflammatory cytokines were significantly reduced by combined-adjuvant therapy in vitro (P < 0.0001) and in cerebrospinal fluid in vivo (P < 0.05). In infected animals treated with combined adjunctive therapy, cortical damage was significantly reduced (P < 0.05), and animals showed a trend toward better hearing capacity 3 weeks after the infection (P = 0.089), an effect which was significant in mildly infected animals (48 decibels [dB] versus 67.22 dB; P < 0.05). These mildly infected animals showed significantly reduced cochlear fibrous occlusion (P < 0.01). By combining nonbacteriolytic daptomycin and anti-inflammatory doxycycline with ceftriaxone, the previously reported beneficial effects of the drugs were cumulated and identified the triple-antibiotic therapy as a promising therapeutic option for pediatric PM.
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29
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Kloek AT, Khan HN, Valls Seron M, Jongejan A, Zwinderman AH, Baas F, van der Ende A, van de Beek D, Ferwerda B, Brouwer MC. Variation in coagulation and fibrinolysis genes evaluated for their contribution to cerebrovascular complications in adults with bacterial meningitis in the Netherlands. J Infect 2018; 77:54-59. [PMID: 29746949 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2018.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Revised: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study whether genetic variation in coagulation and fibrinolysis genes contributes to cerebrovascular complications in bacterial meningitis. METHODS We performed a nationwide prospective genetic association study in adult community-acquired bacterial meningitis patients. The exons and flanking regions of 16 candidate genes involved in coagulation and fibrinolysis pathways were sequenced. We analyzed whether genetic variation in these genes resulted in a higher risk of cerebrovascular complications, unfavorable outcome and differences in thrombocyte count on admission. RESULTS From 2006 to 2011, a total of 1101 bacterial meningitis patients were identified of whom 622 supplied DNA for genotyping and passed genetic quality control steps. In 139 patients (22%) the episode of bacterial meningitis was complicated by cerebral infarction, and 188 (30%) had an unfavorable outcome. We identified the functional variant rs494860 in the protein Z (PROZ) gene as our strongest association with occurrence of cerebral infarction (odds ratio (OR) 0.49 (95% confidence interval 0.33-0.73), p = 5.2 × 10-4). After Bonferroni correction for multiple testing no genetic variant was significantly associated (p-value threshold 2.7 × 10-4). CONCLUSION Our study suggests a functional genetic variation in the PROZ gene, rs494860, may be of importance in bacterial meningitis pathogenesis and cerebral infarction risk. Replication of this finding in other cohort studies populations is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- A T Kloek
- Department of Neurology, Center of Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - H N Khan
- Department of Neurology, Center of Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - M Valls Seron
- Department of Neurology, Center of Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A Jongejan
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A H Zwinderman
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - F Baas
- Department of Genome Analysis, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A van der Ende
- Department of Medical Microbiology and The Netherlands Reference Laboratory for Bacterial Meningitis, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - D van de Beek
- Department of Neurology, Center of Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - B Ferwerda
- Department of Neurology, Center of Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - M C Brouwer
- Department of Neurology, Center of Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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30
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Klein M, Höhne C, Angele B, Högen T, Pfister HW, Tüfekci H, Koedel U. Adjuvant non-bacteriolytic and anti-inflammatory combination therapy in pneumococcal meningitis: an investigation in a mouse model. Clin Microbiol Infect 2018; 25:108.e9-108.e15. [PMID: 29649601 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2018.03.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Revised: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Therapy with antibiotics, dexamethasone, and supportive intensive care has improved the prognosis of pneumococcal meningitis, but mortality remains high. Here, we investigated an adjunctive combination therapy of the non-bacteriolytic antibiotic daptomycin plus several anti-inflammatory agents to identify the currently most promising adjunctive combination therapy for pneumococcal meningitis. METHODS C57BL/6 mice were infected by injection of pneumococci into the cisterna magna. Treatment was begun 21 h after infection, and consisted of ceftriaxone plus (a) dexamethasone, (b) dexamethasone plus daptomycin, (c) daptomycin, (d) daptomycin plus an anti-IL1 antibody, (e) daptomycin plus roscovitine, or (f) daptomycin plus an anti-C5 antibody. Animals were followed until 45 h after infection. Furthermore, adjunctive daptomycin plus anti-C5 antibodies were assessed in a long-term follow-up. RESULTS Adjunctive treatment with daptomycin and an anti-C5 antibody was superior to adjunctive dexamethasone and reduced disease symptoms (clinical score 1.1 ± 1.1 versus 5.0 ± 2.7, p < 0.0083), improved explorative activity (open field test 17.8 ± 8.2 versus 7.4 ± 4.3 crossed fields/2 minutes, p < 0.0083), and reduced hearing impairment (thresholds for click stimulus 96.1 ± 14.7 versus 114.8 ± 9.3 dB SPL, p < 0.0083) in the acute stage. Furthermore, explorative activity (14.4 ± 7.3 crossed fields/2 minutes versus 6.3 ± 7.2, p < 0.05) and cognitive function (t-maze test, exploration time previously unknown alley 72.4 ± 14.3 versus 48.7 ± 25.6%, p < 0.05) was improved at 2 weeks after infection. Treatment with daptomycin plus an anti-IL-1β antibody or roscovitine was not of significant benefit in comparison to adjunctive therapy with dexamethasone. CONCLUSIONS An adjunctive combination of the non-lytic antibiotic daptomycin plus an anti-C5 antibody was superior to standard therapy with adjunctive dexamethasone in the treatment of pneumococcal meningitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Klein
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 München, Germany.
| | - C Höhne
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 München, Germany
| | - B Angele
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 München, Germany
| | - T Högen
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 München, Germany
| | - H W Pfister
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 München, Germany
| | - H Tüfekci
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 München, Germany
| | - U Koedel
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 München, Germany
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Fritscher J, Amberger D, Dyckhoff S, Bewersdorf JP, Masouris I, Voelk S, Hammerschmidt S, Schmetzer HM, Klein M, Pfister HW, Koedel U. Mast Cells Are Activated by Streptococcus pneumoniae In Vitro but Dispensable for the Host Defense Against Pneumococcal Central Nervous System Infection In Vivo. Front Immunol 2018; 9:550. [PMID: 29616039 PMCID: PMC5867309 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Mast cells reside on and near the cerebral vasculature, the predominant site of pneumococcal entry into the central nervous system (CNS). Although mast cells have been reported to be crucial in protecting from systemic bacterial infections, their role in bacterial infections of the CNS remained elusive. Here, we assessed the role of mast cells in pneumococcal infection in vitro and in vivo. In introductory experiments using mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC), we found that (i) BMMC degranulate and release selected cytokines upon exposure to Streptococcus pneumoniae, (ii) the response of BMMC varies between different pneumococcal serotypes and (iii) is dependent on pneumolysin. Intriguingly though, apart from a slight enhancement of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis, neither two different mast cell-deficient Kit mutant mouse strains (WBB6F1-KitW/Wv and C57BL/6 KitW-sh/W-sh mice) nor pharmacologic mast cell stabilization with cromoglycate had any significant impact on the disease phenotype of experimental pneumococcal meningitis. The incomplete reversal of the enhanced CSF pleocytosis by local mast cell engraftment suggests that this phenomenon is caused by other c-Kit mutation-related mechanisms than mast cell deficiency. In conclusion, our study suggests that mast cells can be activated by S. pneumoniae in vitro. However, mast cells do not play a significant role as sentinels of pneumococcal CSF invasion and initiators of innate immunity in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Fritscher
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel Amberger
- Department of Internal Medicine III (Oncology), University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Susanne Dyckhoff
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Jan Philipp Bewersdorf
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Ilias Masouris
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefanie Voelk
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Sven Hammerschmidt
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Infection Biology, Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, Center for Functional Genomics of Microbes, Ernst Moritz Arndt University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Helga Maria Schmetzer
- Department of Internal Medicine III (Oncology), University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Matthias Klein
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Hans-Walter Pfister
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Uwe Koedel
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
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Engelen-Lee JY, Brouwer MC, Aronica E, van de Beek D. Delayed cerebral thrombosis complicating pneumococcal meningitis: an autopsy study. Ann Intensive Care 2018; 8:20. [PMID: 29427117 PMCID: PMC5807251 DOI: 10.1186/s13613-018-0368-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Delayed cerebral thrombosis (DCT) is a devastating cerebrovascular complication in patients with excellent initial recovery of pneumococcal meningitis. The aetiology is unknown, but direct bacterial invasion, activation of coagulation or post-infectious immunoglobulin deposition has been suggested. METHODS We studied histopathology of 4 patients with pneumococcal meningitis complicated by DCT. Results were compared with 8 patients who died of pneumococcal meningitis without DCT and 3 non-meningitis control cases. Furthermore, we evaluated vascular immunoglobulin depositions (IgA, IgG and IgM) and the presence of pneumococcal capsules by immunofluorescence. RESULTS Patients who died after pneumococcal meningitis showed inflammation in the meninges and blood vessels with extensive infarction and thrombosis. We did not observe gross differences between DCT and non-DCT patients, except that 2 of 4 DCT patients had a basilar artery aneurysm compared to none of the non-DCT patients. We observed high density of IgM and IgG deposition in meningitis cases as compared to controls, but no difference between DCT and non-DCT patients. Immunofluorescence staining of pneumococci demonstrated the presence of bacterial capsules in the meninges of all meningitis patients, even 35 days after the initiation of antibiotic treatment. CONCLUSION The aetiology of DCT complicating pneumococcal meningitis seems to be of multifactorial aetiology and includes vascular inflammation, thromboembolism of large arteries and infectious intracranial aneurysms. Pneumococcal cell wall components can be observed for weeks after pneumococcal meningitis and may be a source of resurging inflammation after the initial immunosuppression by dexamethasone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joo-Yeon Engelen-Lee
- Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthijs C. Brouwer
- Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eleonora Aronica
- Department of Neuropathology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Cruquius, The Netherlands
| | - Diederik van de Beek
- Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Masouris I, Klein M, Dyckhoff S, Angele B, Pfister HW, Koedel U. Inhibition of DAMP signaling as an effective adjunctive treatment strategy in pneumococcal meningitis. J Neuroinflammation 2017; 14:214. [PMID: 29096648 PMCID: PMC5669003 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-017-0989-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pneumococcal meningitis remains a potentially lethal and debilitating disease, mainly due to brain damage from sustained inflammation. The release of danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), like myeloid-related protein 14 (MRP14) and high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1), plays a major role in persistence of inflammation. In this study, we evaluated if paquinimod, an MRP14-inhibitor, and an anti-HMGB1 antibody can improve clinical outcome as adjunctive therapeutics in pneumococcal meningitis. METHODS We tested the adjuvant administration of paquinimod and the anti-HMGB1 antibody in our pneumococcal meningitis mouse model assessing clinical (clinical score, open-field-test, temperature) and pathophysiological parameters (intracranial pressure, white blood cell count in CSF, bleeding area) as well as bacterial titers in blood and brain 24 h after administration and 48 h after infection. Furthermore, we explored the interactions of these two agents with dexamethasone, the standard adjuvant treatment in pneumococcal meningitis (PM), and daptomycin, a non-bacteriolytic antibiotic preventing pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) release. RESULTS Adjunctive inhibition of MRP14 or HMGB1 reduced mortality in mice with PM. This effect was lost when the two anti-DAMP agents were given simultaneously, possibly due to excessive immunosuppression. Combining anti-PAMP (daptomycin) and anti-DAMP treatments did not produce synergistic results; instead, the anti-DAMP treatment alone was sufficient and superior. The combination of anti-HMGB1 with dexamethasone did not diminish the effect of the former. CONCLUSIONS DAMP inhibition possesses good potential as an adjuvant treatment approach in PM, as it improves clinical outcome and can be given together with the standard adjuvant dexamethasone without drug effect loss in experimental PM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilias Masouris
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377, Munich, Germany. .,Department of Neurology, Klinikum Grosshadern of the Ludwig Maximilians University, Marchioninistraße 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.
| | - Matthias Klein
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Susanne Dyckhoff
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Barbara Angele
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - H W Pfister
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Uwe Koedel
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377, Munich, Germany
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Lauer AN, Tenenbaum T, Schroten H, Schwerk C. The diverse cellular responses of the choroid plexus during infection of the central nervous system. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2017; 314:C152-C165. [PMID: 29070490 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00137.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The choroid plexus (CP) is responsible for the production of a large amount of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). As a highly vascularized structure, the CP also presents a significant frontier between the blood and the central nervous system (CNS). To seal this border, the epithelium of the CP forms the blood-CSF barrier, one of the most important barriers separating the CNS from the blood. During the course of infectious disease, cells of the CP can experience interactions with intruding pathogens, especially when the CP is used as gateway for entry into the CNS. In return, the CP answers to these encounters with diverse measures. Here, we will review the distinct responses of the CP during infection of the CNS, which include engaging of signal transduction pathways, the regulation of gene expression in the host cells, inflammatory cell response, alterations of the barrier, and, under certain circumstances, cell death. Many of these actions may contribute to stage an immunological response against the pathogen and subsequently help in the clearance of the infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexa N Lauer
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University , Mannheim , Germany
| | - Tobias Tenenbaum
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University , Mannheim , Germany
| | - Horst Schroten
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University , Mannheim , Germany
| | - Christian Schwerk
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University , Mannheim , Germany
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Wu H, Weng Y, Zheng L, Li H, Gong Q, Fu Y, Zhao J. Polymorphism of the complement 5 gene is associated with large artery atherosclerosis stroke in Chinese patients. ARQUIVOS DE NEURO-PSIQUIATRIA 2017; 74:881-886. [PMID: 27901252 DOI: 10.1590/0004-282x20160139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Methods C5 rs17611 genetic variants were investigated in 494 IS patients and 330 control individuals .Ischemic stroke was classified into subtypes and patients were assessed 90 days post-stroke with the modified Rankin Scale to determine stroke outcome. Results The presence of C5 polymorphism was associated with the incidence of large artery atherosclerosis (LAA)-subtype IS (n =2 00; p = 0.031), which even persisted after adjustment for covariates (OR = 1.518; 95%CI = 1.093-2.018; p = 0.013). However, no association was found between genotypes and the severity and outcome of stroke (p = 0.978; p = 0.296). Conclusions The C5 polymorphism might contribute to the risk of LAA-subtype IS independently of other known risk predictors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wu
- Minhang District Central Hospital, Department of Neurology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yingfeng Weng
- Minhang District Central Hospital, Department of Neurology, Shanghai, China
| | - Lan Zheng
- Minhang District Central Hospital, Department of Neurology, Shanghai, China
| | - Huanyin Li
- Minhang District Central Hospital, Department of Neurology, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Gong
- Minhang District Central Hospital, Department of Neurology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Fu
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Ruijin Hospital
| | - Jing Zhao
- Minhang District Central Hospital, Department of Neurology, Shanghai, China
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Update on community-acquired bacterial meningitis: guidance and challenges. Clin Microbiol Infect 2017; 23:601-606. [PMID: 28478238 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2017.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Revised: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 04/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The existing heterogeneity in diagnostic work-up and treatment strategies in bacterial meningitis was the incentive to develop a European evidence-based guideline, which was published in 2016 by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Study Group on Infections of the Brain (ESGIB). AIMS To summarize salient features of the guideline, identify recent developments and challenges currently faced. SOURCES The ESCMID guideline, ongoing trial registries. CONTENT Epidemiology, clinical symptoms, diagnostic work-up and therapy strategies of acute bacterial meningitis. IMPLICATIONS The incidence of bacterial meningitis has decreased following pneumococcal and meningococcal conjugate vaccine introduction. In the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis the clinical characteristics and laboratory parameters are of limited diagnostic accuracy and therefore cerebrospinal fluid analysis remains the principal contributor to the final diagnosis. The ESCMID guideline advises to start empiric treatment within one hour of arrival in all suspected meningitis cases, and choice of antibiotics needs to be differentiated according to the patient's age, risk factors, and local resistance rates of pneumococci. Dexamethasone is the only proven adjunctive treatment and should be started together with the antibiotics. The follow-up of surviving patients should include evaluation for hearing loss and pneumococcal vaccination to prevent recurrences. Future perspectives include further development and implementation of vaccines, and new treatments aimed at further reducing the inflammatory response. Studies on implementation of the new guideline should determine adherence and evaluate whether improved prognosis can be achieved by following protocolled management strategies.
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Role of purinergic signaling in experimental pneumococcal meningitis. Sci Rep 2017; 7:44625. [PMID: 28300164 PMCID: PMC5353597 DOI: 10.1038/srep44625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Excessive neutrophilic inflammation contributes to brain pathology and adverse outcome in pneumococcal meningitis (PM). Recently, we identified the NLRP3 inflammasome/interleukin (IL)-1β pathway as a key driver of inflammation in PM. A critical membrane receptor for NLRP3 inflammasome activation is the ATP-activated P2 purinoceptor (P2R) P2X7. Thus, we hypothesized involvement of ATP and P2Rs in PM. The functional role of ATP was investigated in a mouse meningitis model using P2R antagonists. Brain expression of P2Rs was assessed by RT-PCR. ATP levels were determined in murine CSF and cell culture experiments. Treatment with the P2R antagonists suramin or brilliant blue G did not have any impact on disease course. This lack of effect might be attributed to meningitis-associated down-regulation of brain P2R expression and/or a drop of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) ATP, as demonstrated by RT-PCR and ATP analyses. Supplemental cell culture experiments suggest that the reduction in CSF ATP is, at least partly, due to ATP hydrolysis by ectonucleotidases of neutrophils and macrophages. In conclusion, this study suggests that ATP-P2R signaling is only of minor or even no significance in PM. This may be explained by down-regulation of P2R expression and decreased CSF ATP levels.
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Lees JA, Kremer PHC, Manso AS, Croucher NJ, Ferwerda B, Serón MV, Oggioni MR, Parkhill J, Brouwer MC, van der Ende A, van de Beek D, Bentley SD. Large scale genomic analysis shows no evidence for pathogen adaptation between the blood and cerebrospinal fluid niches during bacterial meningitis. Microb Genom 2017; 3:e000103. [PMID: 28348877 PMCID: PMC5361624 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2016] [Accepted: 12/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have provided evidence for rapid pathogen genome diversification, some of which could potentially affect the course of disease. We have previously described such variation seen between isolates infecting the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of a single patient during a case of bacterial meningitis. Here, we performed whole-genome sequencing of paired isolates from the blood and CSF of 869 meningitis patients to determine whether such variation frequently occurs between these two niches in cases of bacterial meningitis. Using a combination of reference-free variant calling approaches, we show that no genetic adaptation occurs in either invaded niche during bacterial meningitis for two major pathogen species, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis. This study therefore shows that the bacteria capable of causing meningitis are already able to do this upon entering the blood, and no further sequence change is necessary to cross the blood–brain barrier. Our findings place the focus back on bacterial evolution between nasopharyngeal carriage and invasion, or diversity of the host, as likely mechanisms for determining invasiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Lees
- 1Pathogen Genomics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | - Philip H C Kremer
- 2Department of Neurology, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ana S Manso
- 3Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Nicholas J Croucher
- 4Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Bart Ferwerda
- 2Department of Neurology, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mercedes Valls Serón
- 2Department of Neurology, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marco R Oggioni
- 3Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Julian Parkhill
- 1Pathogen Genomics, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | - Matthijs C Brouwer
- 2Department of Neurology, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Arie van der Ende
- 5Department of Medical Microbiology, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,6Netherlands Reference Laboratory for Bacterial Meningitis, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Diederik van de Beek
- 2Department of Neurology, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Shen L, Zheng J, Wang Y, Zhu M, Zhu H, Cheng Q, Li Q. Increased activity of the complement system in cerebrospinal fluid of the patients with Non-HIV Cryptococcal meningitis. BMC Infect Dis 2017; 17:7. [PMID: 28052761 PMCID: PMC5214839 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-016-2107-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 12/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Backgrounds Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) has been known to lead to significant morbidity and mortality. The relative contribution of the complement system in protection and pathogenesis during CM remains largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the baseline complement component profiles in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma from non-HIV patients with CM, and therefore to provide insights of possible roles of the complement system in CM. Methods CSF and blood samples from forty two CM patients not infected with HIV and thirteen non-CM control patients (Ctrl) were retrospectively selected and evaluated from the patients admitted to the hospital with a suspected diagnosis of CM. CSF and blood samples were collected at the admission. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for complement components, cytokine IL-12 and western blot for C3 activation were performed on CSF and plasma samples. The levels of complement C1q, factor B (FB), mannose binding lectin (MBL), C2, C3, C4, C5, C4 binding protein (C4BP), Factor I (FI), Factor H (FH), sC5b-9 in CSF and plasma samples were compared. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated on variables between complement components and the levels of total protein in the CSF samples. Results Our data demonstrated that the CSF levels of complement components of C1q, FB, MBL as well as complement pathway factors sC5b-9 and complement regulator FH were all elevated in patients with CM as compared to the controls, CSF C3 breakdown products iC3b were found in both CSF and plasma samples of the CM patients. A positive correlation was found between the levels of CSF protein and MBL, C1q or FB. Conclusions The activity of the complement system in CSF was increased in non-HIV patients with CM. C1q, MBL and FB are the important participants in the complement activation in CM. The relative contribution of each of the specific complement pathways and complement cascades in protection and inflammation resolution against CM warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Shen
- Department of Thoracic Intensive Care Units, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianming Zheng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Central Laboratory, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengqi Zhu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Haoxiang Zhu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Cheng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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40
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Kasanmoentalib ES, Valls Seron M, Ferwerda B, Tanck MW, Zwinderman AH, Baas F, van der Ende A, Schwaeble WJ, Brouwer MC, van de Beek D. Mannose-binding lectin-associated serine protease 2 (MASP-2) contributes to poor disease outcome in humans and mice with pneumococcal meningitis. J Neuroinflammation 2017; 14:2. [PMID: 28086930 PMCID: PMC5234106 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-016-0770-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Pneumococcal meningitis is the most common and severe form of bacterial meningitis. Fatality rates are substantial, and long-term sequelae develop in about half of survivors. Disease outcome has been related to the severity of the pro-inflammatory response in the subarachnoid space. The complement system, which mediates key inflammatory processes, has been implicated as a modulator of pneumococcal meningitis disease severity in animal studies. Methods We investigated mannose-binding lectin-associated serine protease (MASP-2) levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples derived from the diagnostic lumbar puncture, which was available for 307 of 792 pneumococcal meningitis episodes included in our prospective nationwide cohort study (39%), and the association between these levels and clinical outcome. Subsequently, we studied the role of MASP-2 in our experimental pneumococcal meningitis mouse model using Masp2−/− mice and evaluated the potential of adjuvant treatment with MASP-2-specific monoclonal antibodies in wild-type (WT) mice. Results MASP-2 levels in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with bacterial meningitis were correlated with poor functional outcome. Consistent with these human data, Masp2-deficient mice with pneumococcal meningitis had lower cytokine levels and increased survival compared to WT mice. Adjuvant treatment with MASP-2-specific monoclonal antibodies led to reduced complement activation and decreased disease severity. Conclusions MASP-2 contributes to poor disease outcome in human and mice with pneumococcal meningitis. MASP-2-specific monoclonal antibodies can be used to attenuate the inflammatory response in pneumococcal meningitis. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12974-016-0770-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mercedes Valls Seron
- Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bart Ferwerda
- Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michael W Tanck
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Aeilko H Zwinderman
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Frank Baas
- Department of Genome Analysis, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Arie van der Ende
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Center of Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,The Netherlands Reference Laboratory for Bacterial Meningitis, Center of Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Matthijs C Brouwer
- Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Diederik van de Beek
- Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. .,Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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van de Beek D, Brouwer M, Hasbun R, Koedel U, Whitney CG, Wijdicks E. Community-acquired bacterial meningitis. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2016; 2:16074. [PMID: 27808261 DOI: 10.1038/nrdp.2016.74] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges and subarachnoid space that can also involve the brain cortex and parenchyma. It can be acquired spontaneously in the community - community-acquired bacterial meningitis - or in the hospital as a complication of invasive procedures or head trauma (nosocomial bacterial meningitis). Despite advances in treatment and vaccinations, community-acquired bacterial meningitis remains one of the most important infectious diseases worldwide. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis are the most common causative bacteria and are associated with high mortality and morbidity; vaccines targeting these organisms, which have designs similar to the successful vaccine that targets Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis, are now being used in many routine vaccination programmes. Experimental and genetic association studies have increased our knowledge about the pathogenesis of bacterial meningitis. Early antibiotic treatment improves the outcome, but the growing emergence of drug resistance as well as shifts in the distribution of serotypes and groups are fuelling further development of new vaccines and treatment strategies. Corticosteroids were found to be beneficial in high-income countries depending on the bacterial species. Further improvements in the outcome are likely to come from dampening the host inflammatory response and implementing preventive measures, especially the development of new vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diederik van de Beek
- Department of Neurology, Center of Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, P.O. BOX 22660, 1100DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthijs Brouwer
- Department of Neurology, Center of Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, P.O. BOX 22660, 1100DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rodrigo Hasbun
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Health McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Uwe Koedel
- Department of Neurology, Clinic Grosshadern of the Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Cynthia G Whitney
- Respiratory Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Eelco Wijdicks
- Division of Critical Care Neurology, Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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42
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Berg R, Fuellenhals E. Aseptic meningitis following therapy with immune globulins: a combination of product features and patient characteristics? Transfusion 2016; 56:3021-3028. [DOI: 10.1111/trf.13886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2016] [Revised: 07/26/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Roger Berg
- Global Drug Safety, Baxalta Innovations GmbH; Vienna Austria. Baxalta now belongs to Shire
| | - Elisabeth Fuellenhals
- Global Drug Safety, Baxalta Innovations GmbH; Vienna Austria. Baxalta now belongs to Shire
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Bijlsma MW, Brouwer MC, Bossuyt PM, Heymans MW, van der Ende A, Tanck MWT, van de Beek D. Risk scores for outcome in bacterial meningitis: Systematic review and external validation study. J Infect 2016; 73:393-401. [PMID: 27519619 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2016.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Revised: 08/03/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To perform an external validation study of risk scores, identified through a systematic review, predicting outcome in community-acquired bacterial meningitis. METHODS MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched for articles published between January 1960 and August 2014. Performance was evaluated in 2108 episodes of adult community-acquired bacterial meningitis from two nationwide prospective cohort studies by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), the calibration curve, calibration slope or Hosmer-Lemeshow test, and the distribution of calculated risks. FINDINGS Nine risk scores were identified predicting death, neurological deficit or death, or unfavorable outcome at discharge in bacterial meningitis, pneumococcal meningitis and invasive meningococcal disease. Most studies had shortcomings in design, analyses, and reporting. Evaluation showed AUCs of 0.59 (0.57-0.61) and 0.74 (0.71-0.76) in bacterial meningitis, 0.67 (0.64-0.70) in pneumococcal meningitis, and 0.81 (0.73-0.90), 0.82 (0.74-0.91), 0.84 (0.75-0.93), 0.84 (0.76-0.93), 0.85 (0.75-0.95), and 0.90 (0.83-0.98) in meningococcal meningitis. Calibration curves showed adequate agreement between predicted and observed outcomes for four scores, but statistical tests indicated poor calibration of all risk scores. INTERPRETATION One score could be recommended for the interpretation and design of bacterial meningitis studies. None of the existing scores performed well enough to recommend routine use in individual patient management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merijn W Bijlsma
- Department of Neurology, Center of Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthijs C Brouwer
- Department of Neurology, Center of Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Patrick M Bossuyt
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Center of Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Martijn W Heymans
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Arie van der Ende
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Center of Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; The Netherlands Reference Laboratory for Bacterial Meningitis, Center of Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michael W T Tanck
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Center of Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Diederik van de Beek
- Department of Neurology, Center of Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Valls Serón M, Ferwerda B, Engelen-Lee J, Geldhoff M, Jaspers V, Zwinderman AH, Tanck MW, Baas F, van der Ende A, Brouwer MC, van de Beek D. V-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog 3 (AKT3) contributes to poor disease outcome in humans and mice with pneumococcal meningitis. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2016; 4:50. [PMID: 27193124 PMCID: PMC4870776 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-016-0320-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Pneumococcal meningitis is the most common and severe form of bacterial meningitis. Fatality rates are substantial, and long-term sequelae develop in about half of survivors. Here, we have performed a prospective nationwide genetic association study using the Human Exome BeadChip and identified gene variants in encoding dynactin 4 (DCTN4), retinoic acid early transcript 1E (RAET1E), and V-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog 3 (AKT3) to be associated with unfavourable outcome in patients with pneumococcal meningitis. No clinical replication cohort is available, so we validated the role of one of these targets, AKT3, in a pneumococcal meningitis mouse model. Akt3 deficient mice had worse survival and increased histopathology scores for parenchymal damage (infiltration) and vascular infiltration (large meningeal artery inflammation) but similar bacterial loads, cytokine responses, compared to wild-type mice. We found no differences in cerebrospinal fluid cytokine levels between patients with risk or non-risk alleles. Patients with the risk genotype (rs10157763, AA) presented with low scores on the Glasgow Coma Scale and high rate of epileptic seizures. Thus, our results show that AKT3 influences outcome of pneumococcal meningitis.
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Engelen-Lee JY, Brouwer MC, Aronica E, van de Beek D. Pneumococcal meningitis: clinical-pathological correlations (MeninGene-Path). Acta Neuropathol Commun 2016; 4:26. [PMID: 27001057 PMCID: PMC4802600 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-016-0297-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Pneumococcal meningitis is associated with substantial mortality and morbidity. We systematically assessed brain histopathology of 31 patients who died of pneumococcal meningitis from a nationwide study (median age 67 years; 21 (67 %) were male) using a pathology score including inflammation and vascular damage. Of the 27 patients with known time from the admission to death, 14 patients died within 7 days of admission and 13 after 7 days of admission. Eleven of 25 (44 %) patients had been treated with adjunctive dexamethasone therapy. Observed pathological processes were inflammation of medium-large arteries in 30 brains (97 %), cerebral haemorrhage in 24 (77 %), cerebritis in 24 (77 %), thrombosis in 21 (68 %), infarction in 19 (61 %) and ventriculitis in 19 (of 28 cases, 68 %). Inflammation of medium-large arteries led to obstruction of the vascular lumen in 14 (of 31 cases, 45 %). Vascular inflammation was associated with infarction and thrombosis of brain parenchymal vessels. Hippocampal dentate gyrus apoptosis between patients treated with and without dexamethasone was similar (p = 0.66); however, dexamethasone treated patients had higher total pathology score than non-dexamethasone treated patients (p = 0.003). Our study shows that vascular damage is key in the process of brain damage in pneumococcal meningitis. Data and material of this study will be made open-access for translational research in pneumococcal meningitis (MeninGene-Path).
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Functional polymorphisms of macrophage migration inhibitory factor as predictors of morbidity and mortality of pneumococcal meningitis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:3597-602. [PMID: 26976591 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1520727113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Pneumococcal meningitis is the most frequent and critical type of bacterial meningitis. Because cytokines play an important role in the pathogenesis of bacterial meningitis, we examined whether functional polymorphisms of the proinflammatory cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) were associated with morbidity and mortality of pneumococcal meningitis. Two functional MIF promoter polymorphisms, a microsatellite (-794 CATT5-8; rs5844572) and a single-nucleotide polymorphism (-173 G/C; rs755622) were genotyped in a prospective, nationwide cohort of 405 patients with pneumococcal meningitis and in 329 controls matched for age, gender, and ethnicity. Carriages of the CATT7 and -173 C high-expression MIF alleles were associated with unfavorable outcome (P= 0.005 and 0.003) and death (P= 0.03 and 0.01). In a multivariate logistic regression model, shock [odds ratio (OR) 26.0, P= 0.02] and carriage of the CATT7 allele (OR 5.12,P= 0.04) were the main predictors of mortality. MIF levels in the cerebrospinal fluid were associated with systemic complications and death (P= 0.0002). Streptococcus pneumoniae strongly up-regulated MIF production in whole blood and transcription activity of high-expression MIF promoter Luciferase reporter constructs in THP-1 monocytes. Consistent with these findings, treatment with anti-MIF immunoglogulin G (IgG) antibodies reduced bacterial loads and improved survival in a mouse model of pneumococcal pneumonia and sepsis. The present study provides strong evidence that carriage of high-expression MIF alleles is a genetic marker of morbidity and mortality of pneumococcal meningitis and also suggests a potential role for MIF as a target of immune-modulating adjunctive therapy.
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van der Maten E, van Selm S, Langereis JD, Bootsma HJ, van Opzeeland FJH, de Groot R, de Jonge MI, van der Flier M. Alternative Pathway Inhibition by Exogenous Factor H Fails to Attenuate Inflammation and Vascular Leakage in Experimental Pneumococcal Sepsis in Mice. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0149307. [PMID: 26872035 PMCID: PMC4752313 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 01/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common cause of sepsis. Effective complement activation is an important component of host defence against invading pathogens, whilst excessive complement activation has been associated with endothelial dysfunction and organ damage. The alternative pathway amplification loop is important for the enhancement of complement activation. Factor H is a key negative regulator of the alternative pathway amplification loop and contributes to tight control of complement activation. We assessed the effect of inhibition of the alternative pathway on sepsis associated inflammation and disease severity using human factor H treatment in a clinically relevant mice model of pneumococcal sepsis. Mice were infected intravenously with live Streptococcus pneumoniae. At the first clinical signs of infection, 17 hours post-infection, mice were treated with ceftriaxone antibiotic. At the same time purified human factor H or in controls PBS was administered. Treatment with human factor H did not attenuate disease scores, serum pro-inflammatory cytokines, or vascular permeability and did not significantly affect C3 and C3a production at 26 h post-infection. Therefore, we conclude that inhibition of the alternative complement pathway by exogenous human factor H fails to attenuate inflammation and vascular leakage at a clinically relevant intervention time point in pneumococcal sepsis in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika van der Maten
- Laboratory of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Saskia van Selm
- Laboratory of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen D. Langereis
- Laboratory of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Hester J. Bootsma
- Laboratory of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Fred J. H. van Opzeeland
- Laboratory of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald de Groot
- Laboratory of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Marien I. de Jonge
- Laboratory of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Michiel van der Flier
- Laboratory of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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Wu F, Zou Q, Ding X, Shi D, Zhu X, Hu W, Liu L, Zhou H. Complement component C3a plays a critical role in endothelial activation and leukocyte recruitment into the brain. J Neuroinflammation 2016; 13:23. [PMID: 26822321 PMCID: PMC4731990 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-016-0485-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2015] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The complement system is becoming increasingly recognized as a key participant in many neurodegenerative diseases of the brain. Complement-deficient animals exhibit reduced neuroinflammation. METHODS In the present study, we administered intracerebroventricularly lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to mimic local infection of the brain and investigated the role of key complement component C3 in brain vasculature endothelial activation and leukocyte recruitment. The degree of neutrophil infiltration was determined by esterase staining. Leukocyte-endothelial interactions were measured using intravital microscopy. Cerebral endothelial activation was evaluated using real-time PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS Neutrophil infiltration into the brain cortex and hippocampus was significantly reduced in C3(-/-) mice and C3aR(-/-) mice but not in C6(-/-) mice. We detected markedly attenuated leukocyte-endothelial interactions in the brain microvasculature of C3(-/-) mice. Accordingly, in response to LPS administration, the brain microvasculature in these mice had decreased expression of P-selectin, E-selectin, intercellular cell adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1). Depletion of C3 from the circulation also caused reduction in VCAM-1 and E-selectin expression and leukocyte recruitment, suggesting that C3 in the circulation contributed to brain endothelial activation. Furthermore, C3(-/-) mice exhibited decreased leukocyte recruitment into the brain upon tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) stimulation. C3a activated the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and induced the upregulation of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression in murine primary cerebral endothelial cells in vitro. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides the first evidence that C3a plays a critical role in cerebral endothelial activation and leukocyte recruitment during inflammation in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengjiao Wu
- Department of Immunology, Nanjing Medical University, 140 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, JS, 210029, China.
| | - Qiang Zou
- Department of Immunology, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, 610083, Sichuan, China.
| | - Xiaodan Ding
- Department of Immunology, Nanjing Medical University, 140 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, JS, 210029, China.
| | - Dongyan Shi
- Department of Immunology, Nanjing Medical University, 140 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, JS, 210029, China.
| | - Xingxing Zhu
- Department of Immunology, Nanjing Medical University, 140 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, JS, 210029, China.
| | - Weiguo Hu
- Shanghai Cancer Center and Institute of Biomedical Science, Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Lixin Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5E5, Canada.
| | - Hong Zhou
- Department of Immunology, Nanjing Medical University, 140 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, JS, 210029, China.
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Panackal AA, Williamson KC, van de Beek D, Boulware DR, Williamson PR. Fighting the Monster: Applying the Host Damage Framework to Human Central Nervous System Infections. mBio 2016; 7:e01906-15. [PMID: 26814182 PMCID: PMC4742705 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01906-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The host damage-response framework states that microbial pathogenesis is a product of microbial virulence factors and collateral damage from host immune responses. Immune-mediated host damage is particularly important within the size-restricted central nervous system (CNS), where immune responses may exacerbate cerebral edema and neurological damage, leading to coma and death. In this review, we compare human host and therapeutic responses in representative nonviral generalized CNS infections that induce archetypal host damage responses: cryptococcal menigoencephalitis and tuberculous meningitis in HIV-infected and non-HIV-infected patients, pneumococcal meningitis, and cerebral malaria. Consideration of the underlying patterns of host responses provides critical insights into host damage and may suggest tailored adjunctive therapeutics to improve disease outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anil A Panackal
- Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Kim C Williamson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Diederik van de Beek
- Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - David R Boulware
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Peter R Williamson
- Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Community-acquired bacterial meningitis in adults in the Netherlands, 2006-14: a prospective cohort study. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2015; 16:339-47. [PMID: 26652862 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(15)00430-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 235] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Revised: 10/28/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We studied causative pathogens, clinical characteristics, and outcome of adult community-acquired bacterial meningitis after the introduction of adjunctive dexamethasone treatment and nationwide implementation of paediatric conjugate vaccines. METHODS In this cohort study, we prospectively assessed adults (age >16 years) with community-acquired bacterial meningitis in the Netherlands, identified through the National Reference Laboratory for Bacterial Meningitis or individual physicians between Jan 1, 2006, and July 1, 2014. We identified independent predictors of an unfavourable outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale score 1-4) by logistic regression. FINDINGS We assessed 1412 episodes of community-acquired bacterial meningitis. Incidence declined from 1·72 cases per 100,000 adults per year in 2007-08, to 0·94 per 100,000 per year in 2013-14. Streptococcus pneumoniae caused 1017 (72%) of 1412 episodes. Rates of adult bacterial meningitis decreased most sharply among pneumococcal serotypes included in paediatric conjugate vaccine, and in meningococcal meningitis. We found no evidence of serotype or serogroup replacement. The overall case fatality rate was 244 (17%) of 1412 episodes and unfavourable outcome occurred in 531 (38%) of 1412 episodes. Predictors of unfavourable outcome were advanced age, absence of otitis or sinusitis, alcoholism, tachycardia, lower score on the Glasgow Coma Scale, cranial nerve palsy, a cerebrospinal fluid white-cell count lower than 1000 cells per μL, a positive blood culture, and a high serum C-reactive protein concentration. Adjunctive dexamethasone was administered for 1234 (89%) of 1384 assessed episodes. The multivariable adjusted odds ratio of dexamethasone treatment for unfavourable outcome was 0·54 (95% CI 0·39-0·73). INTERPRETATION The incidence of adult bacterial meningitis has decreased substantially, which is partly explained by herd protection by paediatric conjugate vaccines. Adjunctive dexamethasone treatment was associated with substantially improved outcome. FUNDING European Research Council, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, European Union, Academic Medical Center, and Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development.
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