Cryptococcal glucuronoxylomannan delays translocation of leukocytes acrossthe blood-brain barrier in an animal model of acute bacterial meningitis

In bacterial meningitis, neurological damage is associated with a high infl ux of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) into the brain. Previous data sugg est that the capsular component of the fungus C. neoformans, glucuronoxylom annan (GXM), interferes with PMN-migration into the cerebrospinal fluid (CS F). Therefore, a rabbit model of bacterial meningitis was treated intraveno usly with GXM. This resulted in (1) a reduction of PMN in the CSF at 6 h (P =0.05), (2) reduced peak TNF-alpha concentrations in the CSF, and (3) dimin ished tissue inflammation and intravascular margination of PMN in GXM-treat ed animals. Thus, GXM may represent a novel adjuvant anti-inflammatory agen t in bacterial meningitis. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.