Pericytes are protective in experimental pneumococcal meningitis through regulating leukocyte infiltration and blood–brain barrier function
Teske N, Dyckhoff-Shen S, Beckenbauer P, Bewersdorf J, Engelen-Lee J, Hammerschmidt S, Kälin R, Pfister H, Brouwer M, 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. Journal Of Neuroinflammation 2023, 20: 267. PMID: 37978545, PMCID: PMC10655320, DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02938-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsModel of pneumococcal meningitisPneumococcal meningitisLeukocyte infiltrationAnimal model of pneumococcal meningitisPrevented blood-brain barrierToll-like receptor inhibitorsDegree of leukocyte infiltrationSerotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniaeUnfavorable disease courseBlood-brain barrier disruptionHuman pericytesExperimental pneumococcal meningitisBlood-brain barrier integrityRegulating leukocyte infiltrationBlood-brain barrier functionRegulation of cerebral blood flowAdult mouse modelInfection in vivoUpregulation of chemokine expressionIncreased cerebral edemaMaintenance of blood-brain barrier integrityBlood-brain barrierCerebral blood flowMouse meningitis modelIn vitro studies