Magnesium therapy improves outcome in Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis by altering pneumolysin pore formation.

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in adults and is characterized by high lethality and substantial cognitive disabilities in survivors. Here, we have studied the capacity of an established therapeutic agent, magnesium, to improve survival in pneumococcal meningitis by modulating the neurological effects of the major pneumococcal pathogenic factor, pneumolysin.

Experimental approach

We used mixed primary glial and acute brain slice cultures, pneumolysin injection in infant rats, a mouse meningitis model and complementary approaches such as Western blot, a black lipid bilayer conductance assay and live imaging of primary glial cells.

Key results

Treatment with therapeutic concentrations of magnesium chloride

SUBMITTER: Hupp S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5715590 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature