title: Intrathecal treatment with the anti-phosphorylcholine monoclonal antibody TEPC-15 decreases neuronal damage in experimental pneumococcal meningitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neuronal injury in pneumococcal meningitis is a consequence of microglial activation and direct toxicity by bacterial products and systemic inflammation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The treatment effect of the TEPC-15 antibody recognizing teichoic and lipoteichoic acids was investigated in murine microglial cells and in a rabbit model of pneumococcal meningitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In vitro, the TEPC-15 antibody recognizing teichoic and lipoteichoic acids increased Streptococcus pneumoniae phagocytosis by murine microglial cells. In rabbit ceftriaxone-treated S. pneumoniae meningitis, intracisternal TEPC-15 reduced the density of apoptotic neurons in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (116 ± 70 vs. 221 ± 132/mm(2); p = 0.03). Cerebrospinal fluid inflammatory parameters (protein, lactate, leukocytes, prostaglandins) were not reduced in TEPC-15-treated rabbits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intracisternal treatment with the TEPC-15 antibody reduced neuronal damage probably by promoting rapid phagocytosis of bacterial products.
authors: Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation, Diana Hospital, Bad Bevensen, Germany.
authors: Joachim
authors: J
authors: Gerber
authors: Sandra
authors: S
authors: Redlich
authors: Sandra
authors: S
authors: Ribes
authors: Simone C
authors: SC
authors: Tauber
authors: Holger
authors: H
authors: Schmidt
authors: Roland
authors: R
authors: Nau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D017628:Microglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects; D013682:Teichoic Acids / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D011453:Prostaglandins; D011506:Proteins; D013682:Teichoic Acids; D019344:Lactic Acid; C009900:lipoteichoic acid; D002443:Ceftriaxone