Bacterial lipopolysaccharide is associated with stroke.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Immunology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Bacterial components, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and lipoteichoic acid (LTA), are implicated in inflammatory processes.
• The association between these bacterial products and specific stroke etiologies remains incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between plasma levels of LPS and LTA and various stroke subtypes, including ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage.
• To examine the correlation of LPS and LTA with inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein (CRP) and LPS-binding protein (LBP), and neurological deficit severity (NIHSS).

Main Methods:

• Plasma samples from 205 participants (stroke patients and controls) were analyzed.
• Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to quantify levels of LPS, LTA, CRP, and LBP.
• Statistical analyses were performed to compare levels across groups and assess correlations.

Main Results:

• Elevated LPS and CRP levels were observed in ischemic stroke subtypes (cardioembolic, large artery atherosclerosis, small vessel occlusion) and intracerebral hemorrhage compared to controls.
• LPS levels correlated positively with CRP, LBP, NIHSS, and white blood cell (WBC) count, and negatively with total cholesterol.
• LTA levels were increased in small vessel occlusion stroke compared to transient ischemic attack, but not significantly different from controls.

Conclusions:

• Plasma LPS and LBP are associated with major ischemic stroke causes and intracerebral hemorrhage, but not transient ischemic attacks.
• LPS levels correlate with inflammatory markers and stroke severity, suggesting a role in stroke pathogenesis and outcomes.
• LTA is specifically associated with small vessel occlusion stroke.