Affiliations 

  • 1 University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Rustaq, College of Education, Science Department, Sultanate of Oman
  • 2 University of Technology and Applied Sciences, College of applied sciences and pharmacy, Department of applied sciences, Biology section, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
  • 3 Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
Tissue Barriers, 2024 Dec 04.
PMID: 39629682 DOI: 10.1080/21688370.2024.2434764

Abstract

This review investigates the pathogenic processes through which Streptococcus pneumoniae crosses the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to cause meningitis, with a focus on the interaction with host receptors in the central nervous system (CNS). S. pneumoniae a primary cause of bacterial meningitis, utilizes unique receptor-mediated pathways to infiltrate the BBB. The bacterial interaction with the platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFR) and the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) is looked at in this study. The goal is to understand how this interaction helps the bacterium move across the BBB and cause infection in the CNS. We examine the functions of cellular and molecular participants at the endothelium level, such as cytokines, chemokines, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), which have a role in the development of the disease. This study consolidates data from multiple studies, providing a thorough summary of the interactions between S. pneumoniae and the BBB. It also explores potential treatment targets that could reduce the significant illness and death rates associated with pneumococcal meningitis.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.