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Brain-blood barrier breakdown and pro-inflammatory mediators in neonate rats submitted meningitis by Streptococcus

Tatiana Barichello1, Glauco D Fagundes, Jaqueline S Generoso

  • 1Laboratório de Microbiologia Experimental e Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia Translacional em Medicina, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, Criciúma, SC, Brazil. tba@unesc.net

Brain Research
|July 17, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Neonatal meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae triggers brain inflammation and blood-brain barrier breakdown. Cytokine and chemokine interactions are key factors in the severity of this neonatal infection.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Neonatal meningitis, an inflammation of the meninges, affects infants within the first 28 days of life.
  • Invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae infections in neonates are linked to prolonged membrane rupture, maternal factors, prematurity, high mortality, and significant long-term disabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of pneumococcal meningitis on brain cytokine levels, oxidative stress, enzymatic activity, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity in neonatal rats.
  • To elucidate the temporal relationship between cytokine dynamics and BBB disruption in neonatal pneumococcal meningitis.

Main Methods:

  • Neonatal Wistar rats were induced with pneumococcal meningitis.
  • Measurements included brain levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, CINC-1, oxidative damage markers, and enzymatic defense activities.
  • Blood-brain barrier integrity was assessed over time.

Main Results:

  • Cytokine levels (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, CINC-1) increased preceding blood-brain barrier breakdown.
  • Blood-brain barrier disruption was observed in the hippocampus at 18 hours and the cortex at 12 hours post-infection.
  • Evidence suggests a time-dependent association between cytokine/chemokine interactions and BBB breakdown.

Conclusions:

  • The complex interplay of cytokines and chemokines plays a critical role in the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier during neonatal pneumococcal meningitis.
  • These inflammatory processes contribute significantly to the severity of neonatal pneumococcal infections.

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