A. Bitsch et al., CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM TNF-ALPHA-MESSENGER-RNA EXPRESSION DURING RABBIT EXPERIMENTAL PNEUMOCOCCAL MENINGITIS, Neuroscience letters, 237(2-3), 1997, pp. 105-108
In pneumococcal meningitis inflammatory mediators such as tumor necros
is factor alpha (TNF alpha) are produced in large quantities and play
a major role in pathogenesis. It is not known exactly which cells prod
uce these mediators during infection. We investigated the localisation
of TNF alpha-mRNA in the central nervous system (CNS) by in situ hybr
idisation during experimental Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis. TNF
-positive cells were detected only in inflammatory infiltrates within
the meninges. Cells within the brain parenchyma and the choroid plexus
were completely negative. After monocyte depletion, no TNF alpha-mRNA
positive cells were detected in the CNS. These findings suggest that
TNF alpha in pneumococcal meningitis is produced in the CNS mainly by
blood-derived, infiltrating monocytes. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Irela
nd Ltd.