Faculty, Staff and Student Publications
Publication Date
1-1-2024
Journal
Molecular Neurobiology
Abstract
Bacterial meningitis is considered a life-threatening condition with high mortality rates. In response to the infection, signaling cascades, producing pro-inflammatory mediators trigger an exacerbated host immune response. Another inflammatory pathway occurs through the activation of inflammasomes. Studies highlight the role of the NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) in central nervous system disorders commonly involved in neuroinflammation. We aimed to investigate the role of NLRP3 and its inhibitor MCC950 on neurochemical, immunological, and behavioral parameters in the early and late stages of experimental pneumococcal meningitis. For this, adult male Wistar rats received an intracisternal injection of Streptococcus pneumoniae or artificial cerebrospinal fluid as a placebo. The animals were divided into control/saline, control/MCC950, meningitis/saline, and meningitis/MCC950. Immediately after the meningitis induction, the animals received 140 ng/kg MCC950 via intracisternal injection. For the acute protocol, 24 h after induction, brain structures were collected to evaluate cytokines, NLRP3, and microglia. In the long-term group, the animals were submitted to open field and recognition of new objects tests at ten days after the meningitis induction. After the behavioral tests, the same markers were evaluated. The animals in the meningitis group at 24 h showed increased levels of cytokines, NLRP3, and IBA-1 expression, and the use of the MCC950 significantly reduced those levels. Although free from infection, ten days after meningitis induction, the animals in the meningitis group had elevated cytokine levels and demonstrated behavioral deficits; however, the single dose of NLRP3 inhibitor rescued the behavior deficits and decreased the brain inflammatory profile.
Keywords
Animals, Male, Rats, Cytokines, Inflammasomes, Memory Disorders, Meningitis, Pneumococcal, Models, Theoretical, NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein, Rats, Wistar, Sulfonamides, Pneumococcal meningitis, NLRP3, MCC950, Microglia, Cytokines, Inflammation, Behavior
DOI
10.1007/s12035-023-03549-8
PMID
37603152
PMCID
PMC11409915
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
9-18-2024
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Author MSS
Published Open-Access
yes
Included in
Medical Sciences Commons, Mental and Social Health Commons, Psychiatry Commons, Psychiatry and Psychology Commons