Adjuvant Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor Therapy Results in Improved Spatial Learning and Stimulates Hippocampal Neurogenesis in a Mouse Model of Pneumococcal Meningitis. Issue 1 (January 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schmidt, Anna Kathrin; Reich, Arno; Falkenburger, Björn; Schulz, Jörg B.; Brandenburg, Lars Ove; Ribes, Sandra; Tauber, Simone C.
• Is Part Of: Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology. Volume 74:Issue 1(2015:Jan.)
• Publication Date: 2015-01
• Subjects: Bacterial meningitis -- Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) -- Hippocampal neurogenesis -- Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor -- Spatial learning -- Streptococcus pneumoniae -- TrK; Neurology -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Diseases -- Physiopathology -- Periodicals; 616.8047
• DOI: 10.1097/NEN.0000000000000152
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-3069

Abstract

Abstract : Abstract: Despite the development of new antibiotic agents, mortality of pneumococcal meningitis remains high. In addition, meningitis results in severe long-term morbidity, most prominently cognitive deficits. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) stimulates proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitor cells and increases the number of circulating neutrophil granulocytes. This study investigated the effect of adjuvant G-CSF treatment on cognitive function after pneumococcal meningitis. C57BL/6 mice were infected by subarachnoid injection of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 3 and treated with ceftriaxone and G-CSF subcutaneously or ceftriaxone alone for 5 days. Clinical scores, motor performance, and mortality during bacterial meningitis were unaffected by adjuvant G-CSF treatment. No effect of G-CSF treatment on production of proinflammatory cytokines or activation of microglia or astrocytes was observed. The G-CSF treatment did, however, result in hippocampal neurogenesis and improved spatial learning performance 6 weeks after meningitis. These results suggest that G-CSF might offer a new adjuvant therapeutic approach in bacterial meningitis to reduce long-term cognitive deficits.