Complement factor H contributes to mortality in humans and mice with bacterial meningitis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The complement system is a vital component of the inflammatory response occurring during bacterial meningitis. Blocking the complement system was shown to improve the outcome of experimental pneumococcal meningitis. Complement factor H (FH) is a complement regulatory protein inhibiting alternative pathway activation but is also exploited by the pneumococcus to prevent complement activation on its surface conferring serum resistance.

Methods

In a nationwide prospective cohort study of 1009 episodes with community-acquired bacterial meningitis, we analyzed whether genetic variations in CFH influenced FH cerebrospinal fluid levels and/or disease severity. Subsequently, we analyzed the role of FH in our pneumococcal meningitis mouse model using FH knock-out (Cfh^-

SUBMITTER: Kasanmoentalib ES 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6935240 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature