title: Dexamethasone downregulated the expression of CSF 14-3-3β protein in mice with eosinophilic meningitis caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection.
abstract: Angiostrongylus cantonensis is the main causative agent of human eosinophilic meningitis in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. A previous study demonstrated that the 14-3-3β protein is a neuropathological marker in monitoring neuronal damage in meningitis. Steroids are commonly used in patients with eosinophilic meningitis caused by A. cantonensis infection. However, the mechanism by which steroids act in eosinophilic meningitis is unknown. We hypothesized that the beneficial effect of steroids on eosinophilic meningitis is partially mediated by the down-regulation of 14-3-3β protein expression in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In this animal study, we determined the dynamic changes of 14-3-3β protein in mice with eosinophilic meningitis. The 14-3-3β protein in serum and CSF was increased in week 2 and 3 after infections. Dexamethasone administration significantly decreased the amounts of CSF 14-3-3β protein. By developing an in-house ELISA to measure 14-3-3β protein, it was found that the amounts of 14-3-3β protein in the CSF and serum increased over a three-week period after infection. There was a remarkable reduction of 14-3-3β protein in the CSF after 2 weeks of dexamethasone treatment. In conclusion, the administration of corticosteroids in mice with eosinophilic meningitis decreased the expression of 14-3-3β protein in the CSF.
authors.affiliation: Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: hctsai1011@yahoo.com.tw.
authors.forename: Hung-Chin
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Bi-Yao
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Graduate Institute of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Chuan-Min
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.affiliation: Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Shue-Ren
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Wann
authors.affiliation: Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Susan Shin-Jung
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Yao-Shen
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: minghongtai@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ming-Hong
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Tai
mesh_terms: D048948:14-3-3 Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000235:genetics; D017185:Angiostrongylus cantonensis / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D008581:Meningitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012908:Snails / Q000469:parasitology; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D048948:14-3-3 Proteins; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D003907:Dexamethasone
keywords: 14-3-3β protein; Angiostrongylus cantonensis; Blood brain barrier; Corticosteroid; Eosinophilic meningitis; Mice