Meningitis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Meningitis, including details on viral, bacterial, spinal, symptoms, treatment.

Antibody neutralization of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) fails to attenuate vascular permeability and brain edema in experimental pneumococcal meningitis.

van der Flier M, Coenjaerts FE, Mwinzi PN, Rijkers E, Ruyken M, Scharringa J, Kimpen JL, Hoepelman AI, Geelen SP

Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center, Room KE 04.1331, P.O. Box 85090, 3508 AB Utrecht, The Netherlands.

To determine the contribution of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to cerebral edema formation in bacterial meningitis, we used a VEGF neutralizing antibody to block VEGF in rabbits, following induction of meningitis by intracisternal inoculation with 10(9) heat-killed pneumococci. At 8 h, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) VEGF was significantly elevated in infected untreated animals, and correlated with CSF white blood cell (WBC) count (r=0.56, P=0.004), and brain water content (r=0.42, P=0.04). Blocking of VEGF did not attenuate brain edema, blood-brain barrier disruption, or CSF pleocytosis. The functional role of VEGF in the pathophysiology of BM remains elusive.

Published 15 February 2005 in J Neuroimmunol, 160(1): 170-7.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Meningitis Research Today. All Rights Reserved.