title: Vitamin D deficiency decreases survival of bacterial meningoencephalitis in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Meningoencephalitis caused by Escherichia coli is associated with high rates of mortality and risk of neurological sequelae in newborns and infants and in older or immunocompromised adults. A high prevalence of neurological disorders has been observed in geriatric populations at risk of hypovitaminosis D.
  
  
  METHODS
  In vivo, we studied the effects of vitamin D3 on survival and the host's immune response in experimental bacterial meningoencephalitis in mice after intracerebral E. coli infection. To produce different systemic vitamin D3 concentrations, mice received a low, standard, or high dietary vitamin D3 supplementation. Bacterial titers in blood, spleen, and brain homogenates were determined. Leukocyte infiltration was assessed by histological scores, and tissue cytokine or chemokine concentrations were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mice fed a diet with low vitamin D3 concentration died earlier than control animals after intracerebral infection. Vitamin D deficiency did not inhibit leukocyte recruitment into the subarachnoid space and did not lead to an increased density of bacteria in blood, spleen, or brain homogenates. The release of proinflammatory interleukin (IL)-6 was decreased and the release of anti-inflammatory IL-10 was increased in mice fed a diet with high vitamin D3 supplementation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our observations suggest a detrimental role of vitamin D deficiency in bacterial central nervous system infections. Vitamin D may exert immune regulatory functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, Evangelisches Krankenhaus Göttingen-Weende, Göttingen, Germany. mdjukic@gwdg.de.|Department of Neuropathology, University Medical School Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany. mdjukic@gwdg.de.
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Djukic
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropathology, University Medical School Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany. nadine.sostmann@googlemail.com.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sostmann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Laboratory Medicine and Transfusion Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg, Germany. Thomas.Bertsch@klinikum-nuernberg.de.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bertsch
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropathology, University Medical School Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany. marianne.mecke@stud.uni-goettingen.de.
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mecke
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropathology, University Medical School Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany. stefan.nessler@googlemail.com.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nessler
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropathology, University Medical School Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany. anjamanig@web.de.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manig
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropathology, University Medical School Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany. ukhanisch@med.uni-goettingen.de.
authors.forename: Uwe-Karsten
authors.initials: UK
authors.lastname: Hanisch
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Laboratory Medicine and Transfusion Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg, Germany. jakob.triebel@klinikum-nuernberg.de.
authors.forename: Jakob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Triebel
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomedicine of Aging (IBA), Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nuremberg, Germany. cornelius.bollheimer@iba.fau.de.|Hospital of the Order of St. John of God, Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany. cornelius.bollheimer@iba.fau.de.
authors.forename: L Cornelius
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Bollheimer
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomedicine of Aging (IBA), Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nuremberg, Germany. cornel.sieber@iba.fau.de.|Hospital of the Order of St. John of God, Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany. cornel.sieber@iba.fau.de.
authors.forename: Cornel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sieber
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, Evangelisches Krankenhaus Göttingen-Weende, Göttingen, Germany. rnau@gwdg.de.|Department of Neuropathology, University Medical School Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany. rnau@gwdg.de.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nau
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D058491:Bacterial Load / Q000379:methods; D001835:Body Weight; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000150:complications*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D002762:Cholecalciferol