Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0085437 (bacterial meningitis)
 4,038 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Protection against infection with encapsulated bacteria is mediated by IgG antibodies against the capsular polysaccharides. Production of such antibodies is impaired during infancy, when susceptibility to bacterial meningitis is greatest. Recent studies have proposed the use of anti-CD40 antibody to increase responsivenesses to polysaccharide antigens. We show here that the IgG response to a model polysaccharide antigen is greatly increased, but retains thymus-independent characteristics--switching continues to be mainly to IgG3 and neither germinal centers nor memory B cells are formed. Furthermore, anti-CD40 causes striking splenomegaly in mice, which is accompanied by dramatic cellular redistribution and proliferation of dendritic cells, macrophages, T cells and endothelium, as well as B cells. These findings raise the possibility that the anti-CD40 effect is due mainly to increased activity of accessory cells that affect plasmablast growth and differentiation rather than mimicry of T cell help.
 ...
PMID:Anti-CD40 antibody enhances responses to polysaccharide without mimicking T cell help. 1054 Mar 33

We investigated whether monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MDDCs) generated in vitro from bacteria-infected MS patients modified autoreactive T cells activation patterns. T cell clones (TCCs) stimulated with MDDCs from infected MS patients responded with maximal proliferation, inducing IL-12, IL-17 and IFN-gamma secretion, at concentrations significantly lower than after incubation with MDDCs isolated from uninfected individuals and bacterial meningitis (BM) patients. Moreover, infected MDDCs promoted TCCs survival, and secreted more IL-12, IL-18, and IL-23. Finally, MDDCs from infected MS subjects showed higher expression of myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), as well as of HLA-DR, CD1a, CD80, CD86, CD273, CD40, CD83 and CCR7 when compared to MDDCs from uninfected MS individuals, and BM patients. Thus, activation of the innate immune system by microbial products in MS patients affects the generation MDDCs and their ability to modify autoreactive T cell activation patterns, which may be linked to MS relapse induction during bacterial infections.
 ...
PMID:Monocyte-derived dendritic cells in multiple sclerosis: the effect of bacterial infection. 1793 16

Neisseria meningitidis is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis and sepsis and its capsular polysaccharides (CPS) are a major virulence factor in meningococcal infections and form the basis for serogroup designation and preventive vaccines. We have formulated a novel meningococcal nanoparticulate vaccine formulation that does not require chemical conjugation, but encapsulates meningococcal CPS polymers in a biodegradable material that slowly release antigens, thereby has antigen depot effect to enhance antigenicity. The novel vaccine formulation is inexpensive and can be stored as a dry powder with extended shelf life that does not require the cold-chain which facilitates storage and distribution. In order to enhance the antigenicity of meningococcal nanoparticulate vaccine, we screened various adjuvants formulated in nanoparticles, for their ability to potentiate antigen presentation by dendritic cells. Here, we report that MF59 and Alum are superior to TLR-based adjuvants in enhancing dendritic cell maturation and antigen presentation markers MHC I, MHC II, CD40, CD80 and CD86 in dendritic cells pulsed with meningococcal CPS nanoparticulate vaccine.
 ...
PMID:Evaluation of various adjuvant nanoparticulate formulations for meningococcal capsular polysaccharide-based vaccine. 2717 46