Project description:Preterm birth is currently the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Genetic, immunological and infectious causes are suspected. Preterm infants have a higher risk of severe bacterial neonatal infections, most of which are caused by Escherichia coli an in particular E. coli K1strains. Women with history of preterm delivery have a high risk of recurrence and therefore constitute a target population for the development of vaccine against E. coli neonatal infections. Here, we characterized the immunological, microbiological and protective properties of a live attenuated vaccine candidate in adult female mice and their pups against after a challenge by K1 and non-K1 strains of E. coli. Our results show that the E. coli K1 E11 aroA vaccine induces strong immunity, driven by polyclonal bactericidal antibodies. In our model of meningitis, pups born to mothers immunized before mating were well protected against various K1 and non-K1 strains of E. coli. Given the very high mortality rate and the neurological sequalae associated with neonatal E. coli K1 meningitis, our results constitute preclinical proof of concept for the development of a live attenuated vaccine against severe E. coli infections in women at risk of preterm delivery.
Project description:Cronobacter (C.) is an important emerging opportunistic foodborne pathogen representing significant cause of mortality in neonatal patients with bacteremia and meningitis. Knowledge on the pathobiology of Cronobacter mediated meningitis has to a large extend been explored using in vitro models. To explore the innate immune response against the neonatal sepsis/meningitis causing isolate C. turicensis z3032 in vivo, zebrafish larvae (Danio rerio) were used as infection model. Following establishment of infection in zebrafish larvae with z3032, dual RNA-sequencing of host-pathogen was undertaken to profile RNA expression simultaneously in the pathogen and the head region of the zebrafish host.
Project description:Tuberculosis co-infected with HIV may increase the risk of causing meningitis. Tuberculous meningitis co-infected with HIV associated with high mortality and severe neurological abnormalities in affected individuals. We have carried out TBM co-infected with HIV gene expression study using whole human genome microarrays. We identified 796 differentially expressed genes with fold change cut off of 2 or more than 2. Out of 796 differentially expressed genes, 398 were upregulated and 396 were downregulated. We have validated two molecules from microarray data using immunohistochemistry. The proposed study carried out mRNA expression profiling of five samples from patients diagnosed with tuberculous meningitis coinfected with HIV and four head injury cases were used as controls. We have used 4X44K arrays from agilent platform. To validate our microarray results, we have done immunohistochemistry on 10 TBM+HIV cases and 10 control groups.
Project description:The human-specific, Gram-negative bacterium Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis world-wide. It has been described that Nm can enter the central nervous system via the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB), which is constituted by the epithelial cells of the choroid plexus. Using a recently established in vitro model of the human BCSFB based on human malignant choroid plexus papilloma (HIBCPP) cells we investigated the cellular response of HIBCPP cells challenged with the meningitis-causing Nm strain MC58. In comparison we analysed the answer to the closely related unencapsulated carrier isolate Nm M-NM-114. Transcriptome analysis revealed a stronger transcriptional response after infection with strain MC58, in particular with its capsule deficient mutant MC58siaD-, which correlated with bacterial invasion levels. Expression evaluation and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis pointed to a NF-M-NM-:B-mediated pro-inflammatory immune response involving up-regulation of the transcription factor IM-NM-:BM-NM-6. Consistent with this, infected cells secreted significant levels of pro-inflammatory chemokines and cytokines, among others, IL8, CXCL1-3 and the IM-NM-:BM-NM-6 target gene product IL6. Expression profile of pattern recognition receptors in HIBCPP cells and the response to specific agonists indicates that TLR2 rather than TLR4 is involved in the cellular reaction following Nm infection. Human malignant choroid plexus papilloma (HIBCPP) cells were infected from the basolateral side with the meningitis-causing Neisseria meningitidis disease isolate MC58, its non-capsulated mutant MC58siaD- and the Neisseria meningitidis carrier isolate M-NM-114 for 4 h.The transcriptional response of HIBCPP cells to the different Neisseria meningitidis strains was evaluated by microarray analysis. Untreated HIBCPP cells served as control. Three replicates of each condition were analysed.
Project description:Tuberculosis co-infected with HIV may increase the risk of causing meningitis. Tuberculous meningitis co-infected with HIV associated with high mortality and severe neurological abnormalities in affected individuals. We have carried out TBM co-infected with HIV gene expression study using whole human genome microarrays. We identified 796 differentially expressed genes with fold change cut off of 2 or more than 2. Out of 796 differentially expressed genes, 398 were upregulated and 396 were downregulated. We have validated two molecules from microarray data using immunohistochemistry.