Clinical Microbiology: Open Access

Induction of VEGFA and Snail-1 by meningitic Escherichia coli mediates disruption of the bloodbrain barrier

3^rd Global Microbiologists Annual Meeting

August 15-17, 2016 Portland, Oregon, USA

Ruicheng Yang

Huazhong Agricultural University, China

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Clin Microbiol

Abstract:

Escherichia coli is the most common Gram negative bacterium that possesses the ability to cause neonatal meningitis, which develops as circulating bacteria penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB). However, whether meningitic E. coli could induce disruption of the BBB and the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Our current work highlight for the first time the participation of VEGFA and Snail-1, as well as the potential mechanisms, in meningitic E. coli induced disruption of the BBB. Here, we characterized meningitis causing E. coli PCN033 and demonstrated that PCN033 invasion could increase the BBB permeability through down-regulating and remodeling the tight junction proteins (TJs). This process required the PCN033 infection induced up-regulation of VEGFA and Snail-1, which depend on the activation of TLR2-MAPK-ERK1/2 signaling cascade. Moreover, production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in response to infection also promoted the upregulation of VEGFA and Snail-1, therefore further mediating the BBB disruption. Our observations reported here directly support the involvement of VEGFA and Snail-1 in meningitic E. coli induced BBB disruption and VEGFA and Snail-1 would therefore represent the essential host targets for future prevention of clinical E. coli meningitis.

Biography :

Ruicheng Yang is currently pursuing PhD in Preventive Veterinary Medicine at Huazhong Agricultural University, China. His main research direction is bacterial meningitis, including the molecular mechanism study on the interaction between microbes and the host and the regulative mechanisms of the tight junctions by pathogens.

Email: 904435260@qq.com