scholarly journals Follistatin (FS) in human cerebrospinal fluid and regulation of FS expression in a mouse model of meningitis

2000 ◽  
pp. 809-816 ◽  
Author(s):  
U Michel ◽  
S Ebert ◽  
O Schneider ◽  
Y Shintani ◽  
S Bunkowski ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVE: Follistatin (FS) is the specific binding protein of activin and expression of both factors is regulated by inflammatory agents. Therefore, FS concentrations were determined in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with bacterial and viral meningitis or multiple sclerosis (MS), as well as in the CSF of patients without meningial inflammation or autoimmune diseases. Furthermore, a mouse pneumococcal meningitis model was used to localise the cellular sources of FS in brains of normal and meningitic mice. METHODS: FS concentrations in CSF were determined by ELISA; FS in mice was localised by in situ hybridisation and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: FS concentrations were > or =0.4 microg/l in 22 of 66 CSF samples of meningitis patients versus 2 of 27 CSF samples from patients with multiple sclerosis (P<0.05) and 2 of 41 CSF specimen from patients without neuroinflammatory diseases (P<0.01). In the CSF of patients with meningitis, the concentration of FS was correlated with total protein (P<0.005) and lactate concentrations (P<0.05), but not with leukocyte counts, interval between onset of disease and CSF analysis, or clinical outcome. The CSF-to-serum ratios of FS and albumin also correlated significantly (P<0.0005). In some patients with meningitis the CSF-to-serum ratios suggested that the elevated FS in CSF did not originate from serum alone. FS was localised in mice brains to neurones of the hippocampus, dentate gyrus, neocortex, and to the choroid plexus. Analyses of brains and other organs from uninfected and infected animals sacrificed 6-36 h after infection did not reveal any obvious differences in the distribution and intensity of FS mRNA and protein expression. CONCLUSIONS: The concentration of FS in humans is elevated during meningitis. In some patients the increase is caused by a release of FS from brain into CSF. Data from the mouse meningitis model suggest that increased CSF concentrations of FS in meningitis appear not to be accompanied by an elevated number of cells containing FS mRNA or protein in the brain.

Author(s):  
Sandesh Kini ◽  
Yellanthoor Ramesh Bhat ◽  
Lakshmikanth Halegubbi Karegowda

AbstractTorticollis refers to a condition in which the head is persistently tilted to one side, sometimes associated with pain. Torticollis in a child can be congenital or acquired. Torticollis as an initial manifestation of an underlying demyelinating syndrome is quite rare in children. Here, we report a 7-year-old girl who presented with persistent torticollis. Neuroimaging of the brain revealed features of a demyelinating disease. Further studies did not show any evidence of multiple sclerosis. Cerebrospinal fluid was negative for antiaquaporin-4 antibodies, antimyelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibodies, and oligoclonal bands. A seronegative demyelinating disorder was considered. She was treated with pulsed methylprednisolone therapy. She responded well to steroids with no progression of illness during follow-up. Torticollis was partially improved.


2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 41-49
Author(s):  
Sharmistha Mitra ◽  
Robiul Hasan Bhuiyan ◽  
Md Arifuzzaman ◽  
Mohammad Sayedul Islam ◽  
Mahmood A Chowdhury ◽  
...  

Meningitis is referred to as an inflammatory process of the leptomeninges and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within the sub-arachnoid space of the brain. We have investigated glucose status in CSF in different types of meningitis together with detailed medical history in children. In addition, we have also carried out the detailed cytological and microbiological examinations. A total of 40 subjects were investigated. We observed that the glucose level was significantly decreased (<20 mg/dl) in 65%, moderately decreased (20-40 mg/dl) in 20% and mildly decreased (40-50mg/dl) in 15% of the patients in our study. Patients with Pyogenic meningitis had tremendously reduced glucose level (9.0 mg/dl) in their CSF whereas in viral meningitis the CSF glucose level is highly variable (10 to 65 mg/dl). Furthermore, 5 (12.5%) patients showed high lymphocyte counts and 34 (85%) patients showed high neutrophil counts. Interestingly, in Pyogenic meningitis, the neutrophil count was very high compared to that in viral meningitis. The present study clearly demonstrates that biochemical parameters such as glucose level in CSF might be a potential tool for detecting meningitis and as well as differentiation of the different types of meningitis. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/cujbs.v6i1-2.17080 The Chittagong Univ. J. B. Sci.,Vol. 6(1&2):41-49, 2011


2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (12) ◽  
pp. 1569-1577 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Khalil ◽  
B Riedlbauer ◽  
C Langkammer ◽  
C Enzinger ◽  
S Ropele ◽  
...  

Background: Previous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have demonstrated increased iron deposition in the basal ganglia of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. However, it is not clear whether these alterations are associated with changes of iron metabolism in body fluids. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate if iron metabolism markers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum of clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and MS patients differ from controls and how they relate to clinical and imaging parameters. Methods: We analysed serum ferritin, transferrin and soluble transferrin-receptor and CSF ferritin and transferrin by nephelometry in non-anaemic CIS ( n=60) or early MS ( n=14) patients and 68 controls. In CIS/MS we additionally assessed the T2 lesion load. Results: CSF transferrin was significantly decreased in CIS/MS compared to controls ( p<0.001), while no significant differences were seen in serum. Higher CSF transferrin levels correlated with lower physical disability scores ( r= −0.3, p<0.05). CSF transferrin levels did not correlate with other clinical data and the T2 lesion load. Conclusion: Our biochemical study provides evidence that altered iron homeostasis within the brain occurs in the very early phases of the disease, and suggests that the transporter protein transferrin may play a role in the increased iron deposition known to occur in the brain of MS patients.


2001 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
NJ Pavlos ◽  
J Xu ◽  
JM Papadimitriou ◽  
MH Zheng

Small GTP-binding proteins of the Rab subfamily are key regulators of intracellular vesicle transport. Here we report the isolation of a cDNA clone encoding the complete Rab3c isoform from mouse embryo using a degenerative PCR-based approach. Multiple sequence alignment revealed that the predicted amino acid sequence was identical to the previously identified rat Rab3c isoform and 98% identical to the published bovine Rab3c GTPase from brain. Furthermore by in situ hybridisation, Rab3c mRNA was detectable within various regions of the brain, cartilage and highly enriched within intestinal villi of foetal tissues. Chondrocytes in the hypertrophic zone, but not reserve or proliferative zones, expressed high levels of Rab3c. This pattern of expression corresponds with the genesis of matrix vesicles during endochondral ossification.In all, our results suggest that in addition to its functional role during regulated secretion in brain, Rab3c may play a part in matrix vesicle trafficking during skeletal development.


2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen L. Roos ◽  
Jared R. Brosch

Acute viral meningitis refers to inflammation of the meninges of the brain in response to a viral pathogen. Viruses cause meningitis, encephalitis, myelitis, or a combination of these, meningoencephalitis or encephalomyelitis. Viral meningitis is typically a self-limited disorder with no permanent neurologic sequelae. This chapter reviews the epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, complications, and prognosis. Tables describe Wallgren’s criteria for aseptic meningitis, important arboviral infections found in North America, herpes family viruses and meningitis, classic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) abnormalities with viral meningitis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for confirming arboviral meningitis, basic CSF studies for viral meningitis, and etiology of CSF pleocytosis. Figures depict common causes of viral meningitis, nuchal rigidity, examination for Kernig sign, and Brudzinski sign for meningeal irritation. This chapter contains 4 highly rendered figures, 7 tables, 16 references, and 5 MCQs.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen L. Roos ◽  
Jared R. Brosch

Acute viral meningitis refers to inflammation of the meninges of the brain in response to a viral pathogen. Viruses cause meningitis, encephalitis, myelitis, or a combination of these, meningoencephalitis or encephalomyelitis. Viral meningitis is typically a self-limited disorder with no permanent neurologic sequelae. This chapter reviews the epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, complications, and prognosis. Tables describe Wallgren’s criteria for aseptic meningitis, important arboviral infections found in North America, herpes family viruses and meningitis, classic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) abnormalities with viral meningitis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for confirming arboviral meningitis, basic CSF studies for viral meningitis, and etiology of CSF pleocytosis. Figures depict common causes of viral meningitis, nuchal rigidity, examination for Kernig sign, and Brudzinski sign for meningeal irritation. This review contains 4 highly rendered figures, 8 tables, and 17 references.


Development ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 113 (3) ◽  
pp. 857-865 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Schmid ◽  
A. Lorenz ◽  
H. Hameister ◽  
M. Montenarh

By in situ hybridisation we have examined the expression of p53 during mouse embryogenesis from day 8.5 to day 18.5 post coitum (p.c.). High levels of p53 mRNA were detected in all cells of the day 8.5 p.c. and 10.5 p.c. mouse embryo. However, at later stages of development, expression became more pronounced during differentiation of specific tissues e.g. of the brain, liver, lung, thymus, intestine, salivary gland and kidney. In cells undergoing terminal differentiation, the level of p53 mRNA declined strongly. In the brain, hybridisation signals were also observed in postmitotic but not yet terminally differentiated cells. Therefore, gene expression of p53 does not appear to be linked with cellular proliferation in this organ. A proposed role for p53 in cellular differentiation is discussed.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lu Yang ◽  
Joshua S. Titlow ◽  
Darragh Ennis ◽  
Carlas Smith ◽  
Jessica Mitchell ◽  
...  

AbstractRNA in situ hybridization can be a powerful method to investigate post-transcriptional regulation, but analysis of intracellular mRNA distributions in thick, complex tissues like the brain poses significant challenges. Here, we describe the application of single-molecule fluorescent in situ hybridization (smFISH) to quantitate primary transcription and post-transcriptional regulation in whole-mount Drosophila larval and adult brains. Combining immunofluorescence and smFISH probes for different regions of a single gene, i.e., exons, 3’UTR, and introns, we show examples of a gene that is regulated post-transcriptionally and one that is regulated at the level of transcription. We also show that the method can be used to co-visualise a variety of different transcripts and proteins in neuronal stems cells as well as deep brain structures such as mushroom body neuropils. Finally, we introduce the use of smFISH as asensitivealternative to conventional antibody labelling to mark specific neural stem cell populations in the brain.


Author(s):  
Mark S. Freedman ◽  
Mohammad Abdoli

This chapter aims to highlight the diagnostic and prognostic value of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings in multiple sclerosis with a special consideration of distinguishing it from neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and NMO spectrum disorder. Interpretation of CSF findings in daily clinical practice in patients with MS is thoroughly explained. New advances in CSF analysis and recently identified biomarkers may be helpful for diagnosis, help elucidate disease subtype and activity, or aid in prognosis and monitoring of the response to treatment. Characteristics of CSF changes in different subtypes of multiple sclerosis, clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), and radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS) are discussed. CSF findings in NMO spectrum disease as a diagnostic and differentiating marker are explained separately.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 557-569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Kharati ◽  
Sanam Foroutanparsa ◽  
Mohammad Rabiee ◽  
Reza Salarian ◽  
Navid Rabiee ◽  
...  

Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) involves an immune-mediated response in which body’s immune system destructs the protective sheath (myelin). Part of the known MS biomarkers are discovered in cerebrospinal fluid like oligoclonal lgG (OCGB), and also in blood like myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein (MOG). The conventional MS diagnostic methods often fail to detect the disease in early stages such as Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS), which considered as a concerning issue since CIS highlighted as a prognostic factor of MS development in most cases. Methods: MS diagnostic techniques include Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the brain and spinal cord, lumbar puncture (or spinal tap) that evaluate cerebrospinal fluid, evoked potential testing revealing abnormalities in the brain and spinal cord. These conventional diagnostic methods have some negative points such as extensive processing time as well as restriction in the quantity of samples that can be analyzed concurrently. Scientists have focused on developing the detection methods especially early detection which belongs to ultra-sensitive, non-invasive and needed for the Point of Care (POC) diagnosis because the situation was complicated by false positive or negative results. Results: As a result, biosensors are utilized and investigated since they could be ultra-sensitive to specific compounds, cost effective devices, body-friendly and easy to implement. In addition, it has been proved that the biosensors on physiological fluids (blood, serum, urine, saliva, milk etc.) have quick response in a non-invasive rout. In general form, a biosensor system for diagnosis and early detection process usually involves; biomarker (target molecule), bio receptor (recognition element) and compatible bio transducer. Conclusion: Studies underlined that early treatment of patients with high possibility of MS can be advantageous by postponing further abnormalities on MRI and subsequent attacks. : This Review highlights variable disease diagnosis approaches such as Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), electrochemical biosensors, Microarrays and microbeads based Microarrays, which are considered as promising methods for detection and early detection of MS.


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